BBC: Europe stages nuclear crisis test

Wednesday, 11 May, 2005



Nuclear experts are simulating a major accident at a power plant in Romania to test the global response to a disaster. More than 60 countries are taking part in the 36-hour test, organised by the UN atomic energy agency and centred on the Cernavoda nuclear power station.

The test began at 0600 (0300 GMT) when nuclear fuel was said to have spilled from a pipe in the core of the reactor.

Full details are being kept secret to make the simulated accident as real as possible for emergency teams.

Local residents were told to act as if the emergency were real, stay indoors and drink only bottled water.

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BBC: Eyewitness: Nuclear accident test

two minutes past six on Wednesday morning, the mayor of Cernavoda, Hansa Gheorghe, received the phone call he had always dreaded the most.

A nuclear accident had taken place at the Cernavoda nuclear power station, only 3km from the centre of his town of 20,000 inhabitants by the river Danube in eastern Romania.

On the streets of Cernovada, police cars broadcast loudspeaker messages telling people to stay in their homes, close their windows and tune into radio and television to await further instructions. They were also told not to drink water or allow their animals to drink it from open sources.

It's now 13 hours after the accident.

[...]

"It looks like Moldova and Ukraine will be affected by the radioactive release. Moldova may be affected already and it may reach Ukraine in three hours."

As the exercise continues, a diplomatic problem arises. Moldova's breakaway region of Trans-Dniestr has requested advice and assistance, but Moldova has not. How is the agency to respond?

Consultations continue. There is talk of bringing in the European security body, the OSCE.

In a nuclear emergency, no-one wants panic to break out.

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