Zaporizhzhya NPP is on the verge of blackout again due to Russian shelling: what is the threat?
21 November 2024 09:18
Due to new shelling by Russian troops, the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is once again in a critical situation. As a result of the attack, one of the two power lines connecting the plant to the Ukrainian power grid was cut off. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
At the moment, ZNPP is operating thanks to a single power line. The Ministry of Energy emphasizes that if this line is damaged, the plant will experience another complete blackout, which could lead to a serious accident.
The loss of external power means that the plant could be left without the cooling systems needed to prevent overheating of nuclear fuel. This is a gross violation of the safe operation of nuclear power plants.
“For the second time this week, Zaporizhzhia NPP is under a real threat of blackout due to Russian shelling. Today, the IAEA Board of Governors will meet in Vienna, and we insist on the immediate full implementation of the resolution to return the occupied plant under Ukrainian control. This is the only way to guarantee the safe operation of Zaporizhzhya NPP,” said Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko.
The power engineers said they are ready to immediately start restoring the destroyed power lines as soon as the situation allows it to be done safely.
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ZNPP
Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and the third largest in the world by total capacity. Located in the Zaporizhzhia region near the city of Enerhodar, it consists of six nuclear power units of 1 GW each. Construction began in 1981, and the first unit was commissioned in 1984. The last unit, the sixth, came on line in 1995.
ZNPP annually produced about 40 billion kWh of electricity, which was about 20% of Ukraine’s total power generation. It is also the first nuclear power plant in the country to have a dry spent fuel storage facility.
The Russian army seized ZNPP on the night of March 4, 2022, after shelling the nuclear facility. Russia has also occupied the city of Enerhodar, near which the nuclear power plant is located.
Since the beginning of the Russian occupation, Zaporizhzhia NPP has experienced eight complete blackouts with the launch of emergency diesel generators and safety systems. Their failure threatens to cause an emergency, according to Energoatom.
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