Comment by rmind | Hacker News Reader

Comment by rmind | Hacker News Reader

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Some context:

  - https://www.ft.com/content/a98322de-96f7-11e7-b83c-9588e51488a0

  - https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-launched-nuclear-power-plant-despite-safety-issues-/30928660.html

  - https://www.euronews.com/2020/05/21/belarus-nuclear-plant-minsk-set-to-fire-up-reactor-just-45km-from-vilnius

Basically, Belarus mostly ignored numerous safety recommendations by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other parties. There were several accidents during the construction of the power plant, including the one where workers dropped the 330 ton reactor vessel. All that raised many questions about the general quality standards in the Belarusian project.

Lithuania issued several diplomatic notes and protests, requesting to address the safety issues, but there was little cooperation from the other side.

So that's how you build a nuclear power plant in 6 years.

I wonder if the Chinese are just more efficient at this or do they cut corners as well?

I don't know about China, but I would guess that the economies of scale might have an impact. If you are planning to building 100 power plants, you can probably design your processes such that after the initial production, the further ones could be built much quicker.. as you already have your assembly lines ready and busy.

That reminded me of a Wired article I read many years ago (turns out that it was in 2009) that got me optimistic about China and the development of safe nuclear power:

Let a Thousand Reactors Bloom

https://www.wired.com/2004/09/china-5/

Stop lying. All you links you provided do not contains any factual information. Just some unjustified claims.

Do you have a proof that Belarus ignored numerous safety recommendations by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other parties. If you check IAEA site you would notice that Belarus fulfilled most of their recommendations.

About dropping the 330 ton reactor vessel.That reactor vessel was changed and construction was delayed because of it.

About so called safety issues. First of all - there is IAEA and other organisations that checks nuclear plant safety. Lithuanian Ministry of International affairs does not have competency or knowledge to analyse nuclear plant safety. In fact, they do not provide and reliable information, just political claims.

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