The full stories on Armenia and Beloyarsk

Details are presented of the fires which occurred at the Armenia 1 reactor in 1982 and the Beloyarsk 2 reactor in 1978. Armenia 1 is a variant of the VVER 440 (V-230) known as the V-270 which started commercial operation in 1976. The fire started as a consequence of a short circuit in a 6 KV power cable of a large boron make-up pump and the failure of electrical protection. It resulted in the destruction of many power and control cables and several malfunctions leading to a fire in the turbine hall and the start up transformer. Control of the plant was endangered because of smoke in the control room and the total lack of emergency control provisions. Inadequacies in the fire fighting arrangements were revealed. After the fire, emergency controls were installed, cables were given a fire resistant coating, and fire fighting procedures were improved. Beloyarsk 2 is a 200 MWe RBMK operating from 1967. The cause of the fire was a lubrication oil pipe break in the second turbine generator which ignited when it came into contact with hot surfaces. The fire spread rapidly in the vertical cable shafts damaging power and control cables. Control of the plant was endangered, again due to flames and smoke and lack of emergency provisions. Cable damage rendered fire extinguishing systems inactive and a poor communications system delayed the arrival of external fire brigades. The reactor was saved mainly by good luck. Subsequently, cables were coated with fire resistant paste, and fire-fighting procedures, communications system and training were improved. (author)