Russian nuclear power plant extinguishes unit after security system error

MOSCOW: Block 4 of the Russian nuclear power plant Beloyarsk, in the Ural Mountains, was turned off Sunday as a result of a "false" security system response, said a subsidiary of the Rosatom State nuclear company.

The block was stopped at 9:15 (4:15 GMT).

"The shutdown was done according to a routine algorithm," said Rosenergoatom in a statement, adding that the background radiation from the station and surrounding areas corresponded to the usual levels.

The factory was opened in 1964.

Last month, a Russian nuclear power plant in northwestern Moscow shut down three of its four generators after a transformer was short-circuited. They have returned to operation since.