ecause of the
incorrect regulator settings the reactor's power crashed to 30 MW from
1,000 MW which is too low for the test. At that point the operators
would have abandoned the experiment, but they attempted to rescue it,
for the next time they would be able to conduct would be in one year
only. The senior authorities who had ordered the test would have been
furious and would have found out the regulator problem. So the
operators decided, to pull out the stops to restore the reactor's
power.2 Their third fatal mistake, was the pulling out of control
rods. The plant's rule was to have thirty in at all times however they
left all but six. By 1:00 Am the power risen to 200 MW, which was
still to low for the experiment, however the operators continued. In a
few minutes they made their fourth fatal error, by turning on two
extra pumps to join the six that wee already cooling the core. This
procedure under such low power caused a massive steam disorder. Their
fifth fatal error was the turning off of the automatic shut off, which
would turn off the reactor. At 1:23 a.m. on Saturday April 26, the
workers began the actual experiment. They made their sixth error, by
turning off the last safety system. It took the shift manager thirty
...