Tmi, Chernobyl, Now Tokaimura

Japan, which ranks second only to France in the size of its nuclear power plant fleet, has suffered an accident that could become Asia's version of the US's Three Mile Island and Europe's Chernobyl. In terms of severity, however, the accident is nothing like Chernobyl but more serious than TMI, according to observers.

At the fuel reprocessing plant in Tokaimura, about one hour from Tokyo, workers apparently mixed nuclear fuel with nitric acid in viola­tion of government and company procedures. The fuel was for Japan's experimental breeder reactor.

As crucial to the scenario as the mishap were the lack of proper safety and emergency expertise and equipment at the site and little familiari­ty with such situations in the community. At least three workers were

Unit 10. Nuclear Power 75

seriously injured, and firefighters were contaminated with radiation because they weren't told that a nuclear accident had taken place, notes an account in Newsweek.

According to a detailed report in the Wall Street Journal, cost-cut­ting pressures were at least partially responsible for the lapse in judge­ment. Procedures, which were considered secret, were tampered with­in essence simplified so that the plant could compete more effectively with overseas reprocessors.

A far less serious mishap also occurred in the Republic of South Korea a few days later. Twelve gallons of irradiated water were spilled. One account notes that more than 20 workers were contaminated.

Vocabulary

unusual events чрезвычайные проис­шествия

challenge сложная задача, проблема

surveillance testing проверка наблю­дением, надзор

to verify проверять, контролировать

severity серьезность

in violation of в нарушение

mishap несчастный случай

lapse in judgement ошибка в суждении

to spill разливать

EXERCISES

1. Find the Russian equivalents in b) for the following English words and word combi­nations in a).

b)

1. ошибка

2. ранить

3. пожарник

4. уступать

5. основные средства массовой информации

6. структура энергетики

7. азотная кислота

a)

1. energy mix

2. long-term

3. to cancel

4. mainstream media

5. to stem from

6. premium

7. gains

8. safety indicators

76 Section I. Power Engineering

9) to drop	8) происходить от
10) to solidify	9) падать
11) to squeeze	10) в отличном состоянии
12) design margins	11) прибыли
13) in excellent condition	12) отменять
14) to rank second	13) более высокая цена
15) nitric acid	14) твердеть
16) to injure	15) вынуждать
17) firefighter	16) предельное значение
	17) показатели безопасности

2. Translate the following sentences with the Infinitive. Pay attention to the different translation of the Infinitive depending on its different functions.

1. The fact that nuclear power is in the position to be favorably con­sidered is a result of the substantial performance improvements achieved at US plants during the past decade.

2. The challenge for individual nuclear stations is to continue this momentum by solidifying competitive gains already achieved and squeezing further improvements from each unit.

3. Extensive monitoring and surveillance testing of plant systems, structures and components such as containment building, reac­tor vessel, reactor cooling system pressure boundary, steam gen­erators, pressurizer, piping, pump casings, and valve bodies are performed yearly to verify the plant is maintained in excellent condition.