WORLD : British A-Sub Meltdown Feared
A nuclear meltdown is possible in British submarines because of cracks in coolant circuits in nearly half the nuclear-powered fleet, the environmental group Greenpeace said today.
A report commissioned by Greenpeace from a firm of independent engineers, Large & Associates, said that if the subs’ reactors are suddenly shut down, the cracks could split open without warning, allowing coolant to escape.
Greenpeace said such an event could result in the meltdown of the nuclear core, possible loss of the submarine and crew and environmental contamination.
“These nuclear submarines are highly dangerous and should not be going anywhere,” said Greenpeace spokeswoman Janet Convery. A Ministry of Defense spokesman declined to comment on the report.
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