The Environment Chronicle

With a hurricane blowing over southern Germany, Reactor Block B is shut down, and Block C's output reduced from 1300 to 500 MW. Later in the evening, Block C was powered up fully, and at 9.23 pm, Block B was again operational. These precautionary measures prevented any damage to the facility.

The Erika breaks in half in heavy seas off the west coast of France and sinks to the sea bed with two thirds of its cargo. Special ships attempt to pump the remaining oil away (10,000 to 12,000 t). Nonetheless, the storm drives the oil slick onto the coast over Christmas, contaminating over 400 km of coastline and at least 6000 birds.

A serious incident at the Japanese reprocessing plant injures some technicians, killing two. Hundreds of people are exposed to radioactivity.

A storm causes a short circuit in the Ukrainian nuclear power station, leading to a fire in the cooling system for the first reactor block. The fire can be kept under control (source: Greenpeace).

The Rumanian nuclear power station is shut down for 36 hours due to an interruption in the water supply (source: Greenpeace).

Radioactive steam escapes from the ventilation system in the Russian power station. The exact levels of radiation or pollution are unknown (source: Greenpeace).

The fuel rods prove faulty, the reactor is shut down (source: Greenpeace).

Russia cannot afford to maintain and make necessary repairs to the power station. One reason is the unpaid electricity bills (source: Greenpeace).

During an inspection, an employee of the power station is exposed to radiation of 340 MilliSievert (the current permitted maximum is 50, and this was reduced to 20 as of May 2000). Scores 2 on the 7 point INES scale (source: Greenpeace).

Russia cannot afford to maintain and make necessary repairs to the power station. One reason is the unpaid electricity bills (source: Greenpeace).

The plant's sarcophagus threatens to collapse and requires urgent maintenance at a cost of c. 1 billion US$ (source: Greenpeace).

The catastrophic financial situation at the power stations increases their risk. Only 2.4 to 5% of electricity bills are paid in cash, the rest in kind or not at all. Wages cannot be paid, fuel and replacement parts cannot be bought (source: Greenpeace).

Radioactivity escapes from the shut down reprocessing plant in Karlsruhe through a defective ventilation system, briefly exposing 31 employees to contaminated air in three cases (source: Greenpeace).

A turbine is shut down in a nuclear power station of the same type as in Chernobyl due to a leak in the cooling system, although no radioactive pollution arises (source: Greenpeace).

The Darmstadt prosecution service investigates whether RWE broke the Atomic Energy Act and the Radiation Protection Ordinance. In November 1998, 17 inspections were made while Block B was operating, which should have been shut down for the test, as stated in the operating handbook (source: Greenpeace).

Increased levels of radioactive Tritium (60 Bequerel/litre) are found in the ground water below the French power station. "Normal" levels are 35 bequerel/litre. (Scores 1 on 7 point INES scale). The facility had been shut down for several months in the previous autumn, following a series of faults (source: Greenpeace).

Steam escapes from an auxiliary pipe in the turbine system in Block 6. Atomic scientists and station managers write in a letter to President Kuschma that the enduring crisis in Ukrainian nuclear energy is a danger to national security, and that the lack of subsidies is affecting both technology and personnel (source: Greenpeace).

The simplest safety work at the nuclear power station near St Petersburg (of the same type as that at Chernobyl) is now subject to delays of at least 2 years. A burst pipe in the cooling system is still not under control (source: Greenpeace).

On February 4, 1999, the supertanker New Carissa ran aground near Coos Bay/ Oregon leaking about 70,000 gallons of oil and killing 2,300 seabirds.

An employee is killed during a fire at the nuclear power station north of Moscow. The fire was caused by painting work in the ventilation shafts. Both reactors continued to operate, further damage is unknown (source: Greenpeace).

Defects in the earthquake protection system are found in all four reactors in the French power station. In case of an earthquake, this could cause the control systems to fail (source: Greenpeace).

After a breakdown in the security lock, the French nuclear power station in Alsace is shut down. The incident rates a 1 on the 7-point INES scale (source: Greenpeace).

As in October, slightly radioactive water leaks from a defective weld in the water feed to Block C (source: Greenpeace).

A second loose screw is found near the control rods in the pressure tank. The operators concede that the "finding indicates systemic errors" (source: Greenpeace).

During maintenance, for which the station was shut down on the 19th July, a safety screw on the control rods in the reactor's pressure tank was found to be loose, and the thread on the holding bolt was bare. Special tests had earlier found evidence of structural defects in the water feed pipes (source: Greenpeace).

Two leaks appear in separate cooling loops. The Hessian Environment Ministry and the operator RWE differ in their assessment of the seriousness of the incident (source: Greenpeace).

A fuel element becomes jammed during a routine inspection. The Lower Saxony Environment Ministry claims that a radioactive leak could have resulted, if the fuel element had been damaged (source: Greenpeace).

During the search for a leak in the turbine oil system, human error leads to a dramatic rise in steam pressure. After an emergency shut-down, it emerged that a valve which had been wrongly shut by hand could not be opened. There were no radioactive emissions, but the incident scored 2 on the INES scale of 1-7 (source: Greenpeace).

Toxic chemicals in water from a burst dam belonging to a mine contaminate the Coto de Donana nature reserve in southern Spain. C. 5 million m_ of mud containing sulphur, lead, copper, zinc and cadmium flow down the Rio Guadimar. Experts estimate that Europe's largest bird sanctuary, as well as Spain's agriculture and fisheries, will suffer permanent damage from the pollution.

Due to a problem in the cooling system, the Ukrainian reactor must be shut down, and radioactive cooling water escapes (source: Greenpeace).

A defective pump floods part of the cooling system in reactor B (which was shut down at the time). Even when not in operation, the entire basin containing a reactor core must be cooled. Failure in the cooling system can cause serious problems (source: Greenpeace).

The "Diamond Grace", registered in Panama, runs aground near Tokyo and loses c. 1,500 t oil.

During the night, c. 12 t toxic toluyl-endiamin escape, damaging the paintwork on c. 100 cars. The operator claims that no humans were harmed.

After an explosion, the "ML Petron" spills 200,000 l oil off the south coast of the Philippines.

In thick fog north-west of Dunkirk, the Mexican chemicals tanker "Teoatl" collides with the Bahaman registered "Bona Fulmar". A 3x4 m hole is punched in the Bona Fulmar's stern, from which some 4,500 m_ petrol escape into the sea. The rest of the cargo was pumped into other tanks. Since the petrol evaporates quickly, there is no threat to the coastlines, the Teoatle was carrying no cargo.

A Russian tanker breaks up and sinks in the seas off Japan. Helicopters and a lifeboat rescue 31 sailors. The tanker was carrying 19,000 t oil bound for the Russian peninsula Kamschatka. A 1.8 km by 100 m oil slick is subsequently observed.

The Russian tanker Nachodka capsizes off the coast of Japan with 17,000 t oil.

Reactor block 2 must be shut down when the sealing rings on one of the four pumps in the main cooling system overheats (source: Greenpeace).

Disastrous fire caused by improper welding work. The fire kills 17, injures about 20 and impairs the health of a further 100.

Vynilchloride released in a rail accident. At least 328 suffer impaired health: irritation of the eyes, nose and skin, also gastrointestinal problems.