Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant sees complete blackout, raising radiation safety concerns
After a complete blackout struck Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, Ukraine’s Nuclear Energy Generating Company Energoatom has said the Russian occupation administration’s incompetent actions are risking radiation safety at the plant.
The blackout was caused by a line break on the Zaporizhzhya TPP – 330 kV power transmission line, responsible for supplying power from the Ukrainian power system to the station, Energoatom reported on Telegram on Dec. 1.
Read also: 800 Ukrainian specialists continue working at Zaporizhzhya NPP
The final line — Dniprovska 750 kV ZNPP — lost power at 2.31 a.m. during an air raid alert.
Due to the complete blackout, the Zaporizhzhya NPP switched to powering its own needs using diesel generators. All 20 diesel generators were activated in automatic mode, with eight continuing to operate.
The greatest safety threat exists at the fourth power unit, which the occupiers used in violation of operating conditions, keeping it in a “hot” shutdown state, Energoatom said.
Read also: Kyiv blames partial shutdown at Zaporizhzhya NPP on Russian ‘gross incompetence’
“The de-energization of the main circulating pumps that cool the active zone leads to the transition of the reactor unit to a natural circulation mode,” the company said.
“This mode is challenging for the reactor unit, its duration is limited by the design, and it could lead to the failure of the main equipment of the power unit. The unit needs to be urgently transferred to a cold (shutdown) state.”
Ukrainian specialists successfully restored the connection of the ZNPP with the Ukrainian power system, resuming the operation of the 750 kV power line on the morning of Dec. 2.
“The next blackout (could) create a threat to nuclear and radiation safety,” warned Energoatom.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
