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Chernobyl Nuclear Accident Congressional Hearings Transcript

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51<br />

EVENT DESCRIPTION SUMMARY AND STATUS<br />

15<br />

ON APRIL 26, 1986, AT APPROXIMATELY 1:23 AM, EXPLOSION(S) OCCURRED<br />

AT THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN U.S.S.R.<br />

REACTOR HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY OPERATING AT 7% POWER<br />

PRIMARY SYSTEM BOUNDARY FAILURE PROBABLY CAUSED BY OVERPRESSURIZATION<br />

DUE TO SUDDEN POWER INCREASE<br />

SUBSEQUENT HYDROGEN EXPLOSION(S) AND GRAPHITE FIRE<br />

DECAY HEAT PLUS HEAT FROM GRAPHITE FIRE PRODUCED TEMPERATURES<br />

SUFFICIENT TO MELT FUEL<br />

GRAPHITE FIRE HAS BURNED DOWN, SOME OR ALL OF MOLTEN CORE MATERIAL<br />

IS PROBABLY ON REACTOR CAVITY FLOOR<br />

CONCERN FOR MOLTEN CORE PENETRATION THRU SUPPRESSION POOL BASEMATS<br />

SOVIETS HAVE STATED THAT REACTOR IS STABILIZED AND ARE REPORTED<br />

FILLING SUPPRESSION POOL CAVITY WITH CONCRETE (WITH INTERNAL COOLING)<br />

AND INJECTING NITROGEN INTO CORE REGION<br />

THERE ARE MANY POSSIBLE SCENARIOS FOR CHERNOBYL THAT CAN LEAD TO THE<br />

DAMAGED CORE (BUT STILL DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL SEQUENCE OF<br />

EVENTS WAS)

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