KRSKO (Slovenia) – Slovenia’s sole nuclear power plant was scheduled to resume operations late yesterday after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in neighbouring Croatia triggered a precautionary shutdown on Tuesday, said operators.
“The plant has not suffered any damage, the checked systems are functioning correctly,” said the facility here in a statement published on its website yesterday.
The shutdown was the plant’s automatic response to the quake in Croatia that was felt as far away as Austria’s capital, Vienna.
“The plant’s equipment has been systematically inspected and tested,” said the statement, adding that it is expected to run at about half capacity through the night before reaching full capacity today.
The earthquake also forced Slovenia’s Parliament to suspend a session, while brief interruptions to electricity networks and light damage to buildings were reported.
In service since 1983, the 700MW plant provides for 20% of Slovenia’s electricity needs and 15% of needs in Croatia, which co-owns the facility.
Due to be switched off in 2023, the two countries have agreed to extend its lifetime by another 30 years, despite concerns about its old age and the risk of seismic activity in the region. – AFP, December 31, 2020
