The nuclear safety of the Ukrainian power plant in Zaporizhia (south-east) is in a “precarious state”, warned the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, in a statement on Wednesday.
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According to the organization, the “last emergency power line” of the system, which has been damaged since March 1, remains “switched off and under repair”. However, it is allowed as a last resort to ensure nuclear safety, particularly by cooling its reactors.
The plant was dependent on power supplied by a single external 750 kV main line for three weeks, and “any damage (to that line) will result in the total loss of all external power to the plant”.
“Nuclear safety within the (plant) remains in a precarious state,” Mr. Grossi said. “Once again, I urge all parties to work to ensure nuclear safety and protect the facility.”
On March 9, the gigantic power plant occupied by the Russian army was cut off from the Ukrainian power grid for eleven hours after a Russian strike.
According to Energoatom, which had warned of the danger of a nuclear accident, emergency diesel generators had been switched on to ensure a minimum supply for the safety systems.
“We’re playing with fire,” warned Mr. Grossi.
The High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borell, declared effusively: It is a serious breach of nuclear safety caused by Russia (…) Zaporijjia is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. And Russia is endangering the security of the entire European continent, including Russia.”
Without the electricity produced by these generators, reactor fuel overheating can quickly lead to a nuclear accident, in a scenario identical to that of Fukushima in Japan in 2011.