Stockholm - No charges will be brought against the management of a Swedish nuclear power plant that was shut down in July 2006, a prosecutor said Wed

Dec 19, 2007

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/business/news/article_1382139.php/Prosecutor_drops_probe_over_shut-down_at_Swedish_nuclear_plant

Stockholm - No charges will be brought against the management of a Swedish nuclear power plant that was shut down in July 2006, a prosecutor said Wednesday.

Prosecutor Karin Mornstad has since February this year investigated a complaint that the Forsmark management violated legislation on nuclear technology.

The Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate filed the complaint arguing that the Forsmark nuclear facility failed to immediately order a 'cold shutdown' of one of the three reactors in July 2006.

Mornstad said she could not prove that a criminal offence was committed in the wake of the events triggered by a short circuit in a switchyard outside the plant, north of Stockholm.

The nuclear watchdog said the 'cold shutdown' procedure entails a longer start-up after a shut-down, and ought to have been ordered.

Safety procedures at Forsmark were later brought into question after subsequent reports indicated problems with reporting and follow-up of maintenance.

The Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate tightened its supervision of Forsmark.

State-owned energy group Vattenfall, majority-owner of Forsmark, also introduced several measures including replacing the Forsmark manager.

Vattenfall recently said it would create a new post responsible for overseeing its nuclear power stations.

Sweden operated 12 nuclear rectors at most. Two at the Barseback plant in southern Sweden have been decommissioned, the most recent in May 2005.