For the Lithuanians, the plant guarantees their energy, and therefore political independence from Russia. Electricity exported to Latvia and Belarus is also profitable. There is no hurry to close the plant. Despite the safety improvements, introduced largely with the help of the Swedes, the West is growing increasingly nervous about the reliability of the plant. If cooling water is lost the reactors produce faster and less stable nuclear chain reactions.
All plants have inadequate fire protection.
Electrical and safety systems are poorly separated. There is limited capability for suppressing steam in the graphite stack. Only precise computerised control can deal with these problems. Times Newspapers Ltd. This service is provided on Times Newspapers' standard terms and conditions.