‘Explosion’ at the world’s largest uranium enrichment plant in Russia leaves one person dead
- A 65-year-old man died after an explosion at a Rosatom uranium plant today
A major ‘accident’ at the world’s largest uranium enrichment plant has left one person dead from an ‘explosion’.
Yuri Slezkin, 65, died at the Ural Electrochemical Combine in Russia after a cylinder holding depleted uranium hexafluoride ‘depressurised’, the factory said.
State nuclear corporation Rosatom – which manages the plant – said the incident posed no threat to the health of people in the area.
They also denied any radioactive leakage outside of the plant, noting that depleted uranium is also less radioactive than natural uranium.
The explosion prompted the evacuation of workers at the site in Novouralsk
The Ural Electrochemical Combine is the world’s largest uranium enrichment plant
The explosion prompted the evacuation of workers at the site in Novouralsk.
A report by E1 news outlet said: ‘The situation is local in nature – it is dangerous only in the production area. The workshop staff were evacuated.’
A major clean-up operation is underway in the plant, said reports.
An investigation is also underway into the uranium plant ‘explosion’.
‘There is no danger of any kind for residents of the city of Novouralsk or the staff of the plant,’ said the plant’s deputy production manager, Yuri Mineyev.
He said that the factory was working normally.
The incident comes at a time when Russian strategic facilities have been hit by sabotage attacks.
When uranium is enriched, depleted uranium hexafluoride is formed.
The Russians said it ‘does not pose a radiation hazard – its radioactivity is less than that of natural uranium’.
The plant provides 48 per cent of uranium enrichment separation capacity in Russia.
Urals Electrochemical Combine says it enriches uranium for use in nuclear power plants and is the largest of its kind in the world.
While a power plant uses nuclear fission to generate electricity, it cannot explode like an atom bomb.
Image shows the facade of the enrichment plant in Russia
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