So NC, I've been researching reactors a tad, shad of a bit...I didn't realize there are so many "kinds"...The reactor that the Russians were using when the meltdown occurred in regards to Chernobyl seems like was one that could have been avoided...Correct me if I'm wrong, please, but from the way I'm understanding it, the operators were in the process of performing an "safety" check on the reactors system(s)....The reactor however was in a state of low energy and didn't have enough power to run the safety check....So, they decided to manipulate the control rods and perhaps a few other things to get the reactor up to speed so to speak...It appears that they broke some rules in doing so....Hence, the disaster ....
After further investigation (research) it seem like the Russians knew this was not the BEST CHOICE (design) for an commercial reactor?....However, I also found out that this reactor was good at producing a by-product (plutonium)....Turns out, supposedly this was the sole reason that they chose to use this "kind" of reactor...It was basically being used to produce plutonium for future weapons of mass destruction (nuclear weapons)....From what I gather, the Russians were using this type of reactor as a "front" to make the plutonium....In other words, they could have chose a better design to use for the supposed application (to produce power for their citizens)....
That my friend is a sad display of lack of care for human life!....Is this the way u see it as to what happened at Chernobyl?....
.