Zaporizhzhya NPP is on the verge of blackout again: what are the risks?
20 December 2024 15:34
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is again on the verge of blackout due to Russian shelling. This was reported by the Ministry of Energy, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko noted that the plant is now operating on a single power line.
“Today, again due to enemy shelling, Zaporizhzhya NPP remained on the same power line with the Ukrainian power system. Power engineers will start restoring the power line to ZNPP as soon as the security situation allows. Safe operation of ZNPP is possible only under the control of Ukraine,” noted Galushchenko.
“The plant is currently operating on a single power line, and the external power supply required for its safe operation is again under threat.
If this line is also disconnected, the plant will face another complete blackout. This, in turn, will jeopardize radiation safety at the plant.
This situation at ZNPP is not the first one. The agency reminded that in November alone, Zaporizhzhia NPP remained on the same power line three times due to Russian shelling.
It should be noted that on December 10, a Russian drone hit an IAEA official vehicle that was heading to the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP.
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ZNPP
Zaporizhzhia 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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