If external power supply to the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant is not urgently restored, an accident will occur – State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine

The Zaporizhia NPP has been without external power for nine days due to damage to a 750-kilovolt power line near the Zaporizhia thermal power plant, which is located in a territory occupied by russian forces. Currently, electricity for the operation of safety systems is being provided by diesel generators. This includes power for cooling the nuclear fuel in all six reactors.

Oleh Korikov, head of Ukraine’s State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate and Chief State Inspector for Nuclear and Radiation Safety, made this statement at the Media Center Ukraine.

“We are characterizing this as an emergency situation that has not yet escalated into an accident but could if urgent response measures are not taken — specifically, if the external power supply is not restored immediately. This situation is a consequence of the occupation of the Zaporizhia NPP and the occupiers’ disregard for safety rules, along with their deliberate obstruction of efforts to repair the power transmission line,” he stated.

The absence of external power supply may result in an increase in water temperature in the reactors, fuel overheating, and the release of radioactive products into and beyond the reactor.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news