The trouble at Bushehr
The New York Times reports that the Russians have succeeded in diagnosing the problem with Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactor. The Russian explanation seems far more prosaic, although experts cautioned that the full capabilities of the Stuxnet virus remain unclear.That's what you think. Heh.
The Russian statement on Monday said the trouble arose as pressure mounted in the reactor during tests. The pump vibrated and joints broke, the statement said. As a result, metal shards smaller than three millimeters — or less than a tenth of an inch — could have shot into cooling pipes and lodged in fuel assemblies.
“The joints broke down under conditions of high vibration and pulsing pressure,” the statement said.
“If metal particles are found on the fuel assemblies,” it added, “they will be washed, the body of the reactor cleaned, and after this the fuel will again be loaded into the reactor.”
The statement said the failed pump dated to the 1970s, when West Germans began building the reactor. The Russians, who took over in 1995, have said for years that integrating the old German equipment posed more challenges than initially anticipated.
An article on Monday in Nezavisimaya Gazeta, a Moscow newspaper, cited an unidentified Russian official as saying that in the worst case, if metal shards were found in the fuel assemblies, the delay would amount to no more than two months.
Labels: Bushehr, Iranian nuclear program, Russia, Stuxnet
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:11 PM
2 Comments:
There could be other problems.
Nevertheless Israel should not get too comfortable. Israel is still faced with a regime that seeks to wipe it off the face of the earth.
Israel cannot live with a nuclear Iran.
Yes. Nice try Russians: BS!!
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