The Large Hadron Collider could be shut down

MOSCOW, 4 Sep — PRIME. The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) is considering suspending the operation of the Large Hadron Collider amid the energy crisis in Europe, Serge Claudet, head of the CERN energy management commission, told the Wall Street Journal.

CERN is developing plans to shut down some particle accelerators and is considering how the collider could be shut down, he said.

“We are really concerned about the stability of the power grid, because we are doing everything possible to prevent blackouts in our region,” Claude said.

He notes that CERN is committed to keeping the Large Hadron Collider operational, the organization wants to avoid a sudden shutdown that could disable a $4.4 billion machine. The head of the commission added that the organization will also prioritize the closure of other accelerators, which will reduce the center’s electricity consumption by 25%.

CERN is reportedly in talks with the French government-controlled electricity supplier, energy giant Electricite de France, to get a day’s notice that it will need to consume less electricity.

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is an accelerator designed to accelerate elementary particles, in particular protons. The Large Hadron Collider is located in France and Switzerland and is owned by CERN. On September 10, 2008, the collider was officially launched.