S. Korea reactor shut down due to cracks
SEOUL, Nov 9, 2012 -- UPI
A South Korean nuclear power plant will be shut down for
weeks as regulators investigate cracks found in control rod
tunnels, officials said.
The Korean Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. said there is no risk of
radiation leaks but the shutdown of the Yonggwan reactor will
present problems for the country's already stretched power
supply going into the winter months.
The company said it detected microscopic cracks in tunnels
for six control rods -- used to regulate the speed of nuclear
reactions taking place inside reactors -- at its nuclear plant
in the southwest of the country, CNN reported Friday.
The discovery follows a recent scandal involving the use of
unverified parts in two other nuclear plants, where thousands of
parts were supplied with forged quality certificates.
The shutdown of those two plants, along with the Yonngwan
reactor, could create an "unprecedented level" of strain on the
nation's power supply, experts said.
"Winter here is brutal, and I am now very concerned that the
unexpected shutdowns of three nuclear units will cause power
shortages," Huh Kyun-young, a nuclear engineering professor at
Kyung Hee University, said.
News Provided By