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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Fire at a generator of a power plant

Event

Event ID
256
Quality
Description
A hydrogen leak occurred on the a coolant pipe of an electrical generator located in the turbine building, at 200 m from the reactor. Because of the welding works ongoing at that moment on the pipe, the hydrogen ignited and an explosion and a fire followed the leak, with one fatality and a severe injury. The fire brigade of the plant were able to extinguish the fire.
There has not been any radioactive release, because the accident occurred in the non-nuclear area of the plant.
According to the source (ARIA) the investigation attributed to a human error the cause of the incident.
Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
Hydrogen Release and Ignition
Nature of the consequences
Macro-region
Europe
Country
Ukraine
Date
How was it involved?
Leak & Formation Of A Flammable H2-Air Mixture
Initiating cause
Unknown
Root causes
Root CAUSE analysis
Soldering work was ongoing on the pipe when the incident occurred. Authorities pointed out a human error. However, with the scarce information available, the cause could be equally well be attributed to wrong (maintenance, purge) procedures.

Facility

Application
Power Plant
Sub-application
Nuclear power plant
Hydrogen supply chain stage
All components affected
cooling system, turbine-compressor unit, turbine bulding
Location type
Confined
Location description
Industrial Area
Operational condition
Pre-event occurrences
The nuclear reactor was stopped and under maintenance. Soldering work was ongoing on the affected pipe.

Emergency & Consequences

Number of injured persons
2
Number of fatalities
1
Post-event summary
There has not been any radioactive release, because the accident occurred in the non-nuclear area of the plant.
Emergency action
The emergency was quickly ended by the intervention of the drivers, who performed a manual pressure release operation.

Lesson Learnt

Lesson Learnt

The ARIA report does not mention any lesson learnt, only the probable classification of the accident to a human error. The event description does not provide enough details to draw specific conclusion. Nevertheless, soldering/welding a hydrogen-containing component requires always the preliminary evacuation of the hydrogen, what does not seems that has happened in this case.
In alternative to a human error, this event could also hint at lack of adequate procedures, their or inadequate communication.

Event Nature

Release type
gas
Involved substances (% vol)
H2 100%
Presumed ignition source
Welding
Deflagration
Y
High pressure explosion
N
High voltage explosion
N
Flame type
Other

References

Reference & weblink

Event description in the French database ARIA<br />
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/accident/4501/<br />
(accessed December 2020)<br />

JRC assessment