Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant's power unit 5 leaks from reactor's primary circuit

An incident occurred at the power unit No. 5 of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), causing a leakage of reagents from the primary circuit of the reactor to the second, which has not yet been eliminated.

Source: Energoatom State Enterprise National Nuclear Energy Generating Company (NNEGC)

Details: As the company explained, due to the incompetence of Russian personnel, in particular the shift supervisor of the chemical workshop, who lost control over the saturation of the special water purification filters, the primary circuit water with a boric acid solution began to enter the turbine hall deaerator, and from there to all steam generators.

Quote: "The Ruscists’ actions are totally incompetent," said Petro Kotin, Energoatom’s president.

The incident with the leakage of reagents occurred as a result of the actions of the Russian invaders in connection with the illegal transfer of power unit No. 5 of Zaporizhzhia NPP to the state of hot shutdown.

According to Kotin, the actions of the invaders can lead to the loss of the integrity of the steam generator tubes, which does not comply with the regulations for the safe operation of the power unit.

"With their actions, the invaders once again jeopardise the safety of the plant's operation and cause the constant degradation of equipment and an increase in dangerous cases of its failures. And this can lead to an emergency at any moment," Kotin emphasised.

Moreover, similar actions are carried out with power unit No. 3.

In particular, attempts are being made to remove power unit No. 3 from repair and warm it up to a hot shutdown state in order to bring power unit No. 5 to a cold shutdown state. 

Energoatom recalled that a number of emergencies have already occurred due to Russians violating licensing conditions at Zaporizhzhia NPP, the most recent of which happened on 14 November 2023.

"In addition, the senseless decision of the current 'managers' of the plant to transfer it to a 'hot' state has led to a significant increase in liquid radioactive waste at the plant site, which poses potential harm to personnel, the public and the environment," the NNEGC explained.

Background: The incompetent actions of the Russian occupiers and employees of Rosatom (Russia's state nuclear regulator) on 14 November led to a partial blackout at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which resulted in the start-up of diesel generators and security systems that operated for 90 minutes.

Previously, a threat was recorded at power unit No. 4. As a result of its heating, a radioactive coolant (water) leaked from the first to the second circuit, which is a violation of one of the barriers to the spread of radioactive contamination.

A similar situation occurred during an attempt to warm up power unit No. 6.

Earlier, it was reported, with reference to Oleh Korikov, Head of Ukraine’s State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, that the Russians intend to switch the third power unit of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to a hot shutdown, despite the lack of compliance with the licensing requirements of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine.

According to Korikov, the change in the state of the reactor plants of both power unit No. 3 and previously No. 4-5 is extremely dangerous.

Korikov emphasised that "according to licensing requirements, all six power units at Zaporizhzhia NPP, without exception, should be in cold shutdown. In violation of the terms of the licences of the State Atomic Regulation, the invaders switched power units No. 4 and 5 to a hot shutdown, that is, they warmed up to nominal parameters."

Support UP or become our patron!