Russia says why Iranian nuclear plant was unloaded

AP/YahooNews ^ | 2/28/11

[Kartographer]

Russia's nuclear energy agency says the order to remove fuel from the Russian-built nuclear plant in Iran came because of concerns that metal particles might be contaminating fuel assemblies.

The Saturday announcement that fuel would be unloaded from the Bushehr plant was seen as a setback for Iran's nuclear program and raised questions about whether the mysterious computer worm known as Stuxnet might have caused more damage at the plant than previously acknowledged.

[Kartographer]

Is the Stuxnet worm still raising havoc?

[Triple]

havoc? - my guess, thankfully Stuxnet is in control.

[DoughtyOne]

I guess it STUXnet to be them.

[Cheetahcat]

“I guess it STUXnet to be them.”

LMAO

[kidd]

Primary side loose parts. To remove the entire core for loose parts is rather radical. Must be a significant amount of "metallic particles"

This should’ve been discovered during pre-core hot functional testing. As part of the pre-operational checkout of a new plant, and prior to lading fuel, the coolant is circulated to check the various balance of plant systems, instrumentation, chemistry, etc. “Metal particles” would have been found in the resin beds.

It is unusual that this would have been found after the fuel was loaded. Either:
1. The Russians are being pressured to skip steps to hurry start-up, or
2. The Russians delivered really bad fuel, or
3. Loose parts were introduced into the secondary side through an unreported accident or through sabotage. I doubt it was Stuxnet.

[Steely Tom]

Maybe some metallic particles found their way into the brains of some of the technical know-how that knew how to make the reactor work. If you know what I mean.

[DoughtyOne]

;-)