Ukraine's state nuclear company warns of critical safety situation at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

Energoatom, Ukraine's state-owned nuclear energy company, has stressed that the condition of the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant points to a continued erosion of fundamental nuclear safety principles.

Source: Energoatom on Facebook

Details: On 5 September, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi announced a localised ceasefire to restore external power supply to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has been disconnected since 20 August.

This is the 27th time the plant has been disconnected from the power grid since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, and the facility switched to diesel generator operation.

Energoatom notes that emergency diesel generators have been used by the Russians as primary power sources in non-design operating modes for an extended period of more than two weeks.

Due to the prolonged and continuous operation of the generators, the risk of Common Cause Failure – one of the most critical threats to nuclear power plant safety – is increasing.

"Constant cyclical starts and load switching significantly increase the probability of start-up automation failure.

Even though all units are in cold shutdown mode, a power outage threatens the loss of control over primary safety systems, spent nuclear fuel storage pools and technological parameters," the energy company warns.

Background: Energoatom previously warned that every blackout at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant worsens the condition of equipment, including the diesel generators that provide backup power to the plant.

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