1 of 2 Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar, Ukraine, is the largest in Europe — Photo: Portal/Alexander Ermochenko Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar, Ukraine, is the largest in Europe — Photo: Portal/Alexander Ermochenko
The nuclear safety of the Zaporizhya power plant in southeastern Ukraine is in a “precarious state”. The warning was issued this Wednesday (22) by the Director General of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), Rafael Grossi, who warned of the danger of an accident.
“The last emergency power line” at the plant, which has been damaged since March 1, “remains disconnected and being repaired,” the agency’s directorgeneral said in a statement.
The plant relied on a single external 750 kV line for power for three weeks, and “any damage to it will result in total loss of power to the plant,” Rossi reiterated. The line ensures the cooling of the plant’s reactors.
Without power from these generators, reactor fuel overheating can lead to a nuclear accident like the one that happened at Japan’s Fukushima power plant in 2011.
“The nuclear safety of the power plant remains precarious,” said Grossi. “I again call on all parties involved in the conflict to work to ensure nuclear safety and protect the planet,” he said. “We’re playing with fire,” he warned.
separation
On March 9, the plant was occupied by the Russian army and, after an attack, was cut off from the Ukrainian power grid for 11 hours.
According to stateowned nuclear power company Energoatom, which warned of the risk of an accident, diesel generators were turned on to provide minimal power to safety systems.
For the High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, Russia is endangering the security of the entire European continent.
“This is a serious nuclear safety violation provoked by Russia… Zaporizhia is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.”
2 of 2 Only one power line protects the Zaporizh power plant from cooling down — Photo: AP Planet Labs PBC Only one power line protects the Zaporizh power plant from cooling down — Photo: AP Planet Labs PBC
reelection
In early March, AEIA’s Director General, Rafael Grossi, was reelected to head the agency until 2027.
In August last year, he personally visited the Zaporizia plant with a team of 14 inspectors. Grossi claimed at the time that the “physical integrity” of the nuclear power plant had been “violated”.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24, the risk of a nuclear accident has increased as Russian attacks and fighting in the region intensified.
Many of the professionals working there have fled the country and the few who remain in Zaporizia accumulate hours of work in precarious conditions to keep it running.
In September, the United States even called for a halt to all military operations involving nuclear power plants in Ukraine. The application had already been made by the country’s authorities.