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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

IAEA Anticipates Nuclear Problems in Ukraine, Lithuania, and Armenia at Midnight December 31

21 December, 1999 - 00:00

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expressed its overriding concern over the lack of preparedness of three nuclear power plants — in Ignalina (Lithuania), Metsamor (Armenia), and Chornobyl — to meet the year 2000. “According to the agency’s data, the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant protective systems are incapable of handling a major radioactive emission in case of emergency. This may entail an intensive radioactive contamination of the adjacent area, similar to 1986 Chornobyl disaster.” This information, as Gazeta.ru (http://www.gazeta.ru) asserts, has been already published as a statement of the head of the IAEA in The London Times, New York Times, and spread in other countries’ media. However, last week Chief State Inspector of Ukraine for Nuclear Power Anatoly Demyanenko told journalists that over one year, “All the computer systems relating to the safe operation of power units have been tested” at all nuclear plants and stressed that “the results of the tests are satisfactory,” Interfax-Ukraine reports.

On the other hand, The Day was told at the Ministry of Energy, that a special commission had been working on this problem, and it included among others the IAEA. “I do not understand where did this information came from,” said Natalia Ivanova, Director of the Ministry’s Public Relations Department. “There was a wrap up meeting of the National Commission, which was chaired, accidentally, by a representative of the US. I can repeat the words of the First Deputy Minister for Energy to the effect that a very low computerization level in Ukraine enables us to absolutely escape the Y2K problem. In addition, computers at nuclear power plants do not operate in the real time mode, and thus are not subject to this problem.” Well, someone must be mistaken. Let us hope that it is not the Ukrainian party and continue our preparations for the New Year.

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