CHERNOBYL

The Reactor Stalls

Exactly what happens now we may never know. The instructions are unclear, leading to the reactor being accidentally stopped completely. RBMK reactors are unstable at low power levels. The staff frantically try to restart the reactor. All control rods are pulled out, even the manual ones. The reactor still won't fully start. Power reaches only one-tenth of maximum. The control rods are now fully withdrawn from the core.