Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant may switch to blackout mode if Russian shelling continues

MONDAY, 8 AUGUST 2022, 17:46 — EKONOMICHNA PRAVDA

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is currently connected to the energy system of Ukraine by one working transmission line, and in the event of its damage, it will enter the blackout mode.

Petro Kotin, President of SE NNEGC "Energoatom" said so during the 24/7 newscast, reports Interfax-Ukraine.

"Currently, the fact that the Russians damaged the lines connecting the plant with Zaporizhzhia thermal power station (Zaporizhzhia TPP) and the energy system of Ukraine poses a great threat to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) during the shelling period. And now the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is connected to the power system by only one line, which is very dangerous for such a nuclear facility," Kotin said.

He added that in the event of damage to all lines, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) will be forced to go into the blackout mode. And this is extremely dangerous in terms of keeping nuclear fuel in a safe condition at the facility.

"If all the lines are damaged, the station will switch to the blackout mode, [which means] complete power loss, and this situation is already very dangerous in terms of keeping the nuclear fuel in a safe state in the reactors and spent fuel pools," Kotin emphasised.

According to the latest data from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) began operating in three units on 14 July. Before that, from the moment of capture by the Russian occupiers on 4 March, it had worked in two blocks out of six.

Background:

According to Ukraine’s state-run company Energoatom, the Russians are blackmailing the whole world, claiming they were mining the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and were ready to blow it up.

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