Zelensky: Emergency diesel generators are activated at the Zaporizhia plant to avoid a “radiological disaster”
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, outside the Russian-controlled city of Enerhodar, Ukraine, on August 22. (Photo: Alexander Ermochenko/Archyde.com)
Standby diesel generators were “immediately activated” at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant on Thursday to avoid a “radiological catastrophe”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“Today, for the first time in history, the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant was turned off,” Zelensky said in his late-night speech on Thursday.
“Emergency protection of power units worked, after the last working line of power return from the plant to Ukraine’s power system was damaged by Russian shelling,” he said.
CNN cannot verify who is responsible for the bombing as both sides have accused each other.
There were originally four power lines supplying electricity to the plant; three were out of service due to ongoing fighting around the facility. The last power line supplying electricity to the plant was disconnected on Thursday, forcing the use of diesel generators. Power to the last remaining line has been restored as of Thursday night.
“The world must understand the threat this poses: if the diesel generators had not been turned on, if the automation and our staff at the plant had not reacted after the blackout, we would already be forced to overcome the consequences of the radioactive accident,” Zelensky said. .
Generators are installed to supply power to cooling pumps to prevent fuel overheating in the event of a blackout, but they are not entirely reliable, the CEO of Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned energy operator, Petro, told CNN on Monday. Kotin.
“Russia has put Ukraine and all Europeans in a situation that is one step away from a radioactive catastrophe,” Zelensky argued.
The International Atomic Energy Agency and other international bodies “must work much faster than they are doing now,” he said, “because every minute Russian troops remain at the nuclear power plant is a risk of global radiological disaster.”
More information: The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant does not currently supply electricity to Ukraine – it is off the grid – but the reactors need to continue receiving electricity in order to function safely and avoid a nuclear accident.
Reactors must have backup power supplies so that systems that provide cooling for spent fuel elements and cooling for waste heat produced in shutdown reactors continue to operate safely. The electricity from the plant is also necessary to maintain services such as lighting and ventilation of the reactor.