At a nuclear power plant in France, an explosion occurred. The reactor was not injured

An explosion thundered in the engine room of the Flamanville NPP in the north-west of France, reports RIA Novosti with reference to the local edition of Quest France. The fire that started after the explosion was extinguished by the station staff.

PE occurred in the engine room of the first power unit. According to authorities, the operation of the reactor was stopped, although the explosion did not affect the working area of ​​the nuclear power plant. “The first thing to note is that there is no risk of release, this is not a radioactive zone. So far, the causes of the incident are being established, but the most likely version is a short circuit, ”a government official said.

“Such an accident can occur in the engine room at any power plant. But since this is a nuclear power plant, the public is panicking right away, and many are trying to use it to criticize the nuclear power industry, ”said Mikhail Rylov, an expert in the field of nuclear and radiation safety.
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France is the world's most dependent on nuclear energy. More than 76% of the electricity generated in the country comes from nuclear power plants. In total, there are 58 operating NPPs in France with a total capacity of 63.1 GW. The overwhelming majority of nuclear power plants were built in the 1970s and 1980s. In addition to meeting domestic needs, France exports electricity (production surplus is 20%), ranking first in the world in terms of this indicator. The authorities of the country have long been criticized by the "green" for a large number of old nuclear power plants, the accidents on which can lead to a catastrophe.

NPP Flamanville was commissioned in December 1985, located in the north-west of the country in the region of Lower Normandy. The NPP consists of two power units with a capacity of 1,300 MW each. The third power unit of the station, Flamanville-3, with a capacity of 1,650 MW, has been under construction since 2007, and its timing for commissioning is unknown.

Water-water nuclear reactors are installed at NPPs, which use ordinary water as a moderator and coolant. This type of reactor is considered one of the most reliable due to its extensive experience in their construction and widespread use.

It should be noted that today's explosion and the ensuing fire at Flamanville is not the first state of emergency at this NPP. On October 25, 2012, a radiation leak occurred in one of the reactors. At the time of the incident, the reactor was under maintenance, at the last stage of launch, due to which it was urgently stopped, and the situation was brought under control. It is noted that the leak was so insignificant that it did not even require the evacuation of personnel.