[NukeNet] Scotland: Fears over Torness nuclear power plant safety

[The Roy Process]

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Fears over Torness safety
MORE than 30 safety incidents were investigated at Torness nuclear power station in 2005, sparking fears about the reliability of the East Lothian plant.

The list included four emergency shutdowns; plus incidents involving damaged or faulty safety equipment, and a "transformer fire". According to experts, some of the events had the potential to cause a radiation leak.

A list of 33 incidents was released to Alan Beith, the Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed, last week. It coincides with a prolonged shutdown of Scotland's other nuclear power station at Hunterston in North Ayrshire due to boiler defects.

"It's worrying," Beith said of the list. "You want the incidents to be reported and not covered up, but many people will be surprised to discovered that there were so many."

According to independent nuclear engineer John Large, some of the incidents could have been serious. If undetected, they might have caused injury to workers or, in the worst circumstances, triggered a radiation release, he claimed.

The list was provided by the UK trade and industry minister, Margaret Hodge, in response to a parliamentary question from Beith.

But a spokeswoman for British Energy, the company that runs Torness, insisted that the incidents were all minor. She added: "As a nuclear operator aiming for high standards of safety, we have an open and transparent reporting culture." 

9:47pm Saturday 3rd March 2007



By Rob Edwards, Environment Editor



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