Safety related problems in the electric systems of the Forsmark 1 reactor were the dominant event in Swedish nuclear power plants in 2006. The incident has had a significant impact on our attitude towards the reliability of how safety systems function both in Sweden and abroad. In connection with SKI’s review of the incident it was found that the company’s management system was not implemented correctly in conjunction with technical changes and tests. How well a licensee follows its quality assurance system is a important indicator of its safety culture.
As a result of the deviations which were discovered in Forsmark SKI has reconsidered its previously positive evaluation of safety related activities at the utility. This has amongst other things led to SKI placing Forsmark under intensified “special supervision”1. In a complementary recommendation to the government SKI on November 1 2006, SKI informed the government that in the event of approval being granted to Forsmark Kraftgrupp’s application for thermal power increase, SKI does not intend to start the safety review, and thus will not approve trial operations at the increased thermal power whilst they are under special supervision.
The incident on July 25, 2006, did not result in any releases of radioactive substances to the environment.
This report is also available in Swedish:
2007:31 Säkerhets- och strålskyddsläget vid de svenska kärnkraftverken 2006