Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant experienced 5 blackouts during year of occupation – Energoatom

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has been occupied for a year, has experienced five complete blackouts with diesel generators being connected to its operation, which fed reactor zones, ageing pools, and a spent nuclear fuel site.

Source: the president of Energoatom, Petro Kotin, in an interview with DW.

Quote: "During the year of occupation, the plant has experienced five complete blackouts, with diesel generators being connected for it to operate, which fed reactor zones, ageing pools, and a spent nuclear fuel site. 

If there were no diesel generators, an accident would have occurred by now, including the melting of the reactor core. This is very dangerous. The equipment is being degraded, Ruscists are building some buildings there, which is strictly forbidden at a nuclear facility," Kotin said.

He also added that the station has not been fully operational since September last year.

"Of the six power units of the plant, four units are in a ‘cold state’, and two power units, the fifth and the sixth, are in a hot state, but the reactors are stopped," Kotin said. 

According to the president of Energoatom, power units consume electricity from the joint energy network of Ukraine through the last communication line for their own needs. About 100 megawatts are being consumed constantly for the operation of nuclear reactor cooling pumps.

Note:

The next rotation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expert group, which is currently at the site of Zaporizhzhia NPP, was delayed for more than three weeks.

State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate banned the operation of power units number 3, 4, 5 and 6 of Zaporizhzhia NPP due to the inability to eliminate the detected violations of nuclear and radiation safety requirements.

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