Moscow – Emergency diesel generators have maintained cooling functions at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine for the ninth consecutive day following the disruption of an external power line, according to reports by its Russian management on Wednesday, reports 24brussels.
The Russian state RIA news agency quoted officials from the plant, indicating that while the backup electricity supply is currently sufficient, the restoration of a regular power supply through the external Dneprovskaya line remains problematic due to ongoing Ukrainian shelling.
Ukrainian authorities have countered that Russian attacks are obstructing efforts to restore external power to Europe’s largest nuclear facility. The last external power line was severed amidst hostilities on September 23, heightening concerns regarding the plant’s safety.
The Russian management reported that emergency generators are adequately functioning, with only a limited number currently in operation. They further assured that all equipment is operating normally.
What safety risks arise from prolonged power outages?
The Zaporizhzhia plant houses six reactors of the Soviet-designed VVER-1000 V-320 model, which utilize water-cooling and moderation techniques, containing Uranium 235. Currently, all reactors are shut down, resulting in lower temperature levels.
The critical risk is that without external power or functioning emergency generators, the nuclear fuel—located just 500 kilometers from the site of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster—may overheat, potentially leading to a meltdown.
What does the IAEA say regarding the shutdown?
Maintaining power is vital for circulating water necessary to cool the reactors and spent fuel. The IAEA and Russian officials state that radiation levels remain stable amidst the ongoing conflict. However, the United Nations’ nuclear agency has repeatedly issued serious warnings about the risk of a significant nuclear incident near various large Soviet-era nuclear facilities in Ukraine.
“Europe’s largest nuclear power plant has been without external power for more than a week now, which is by far the longest-lasting such event during more than three and a half years of war,”
stated IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
“The current status of the reactor units and spent fuel is stable as long as the emergency diesel generators are able to provide sufficient power to maintain essential safety-related functions and cooling,”
he added.