Ukrainian nuclear energy operator Energoatom reports problems at the occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. The “incompetence” of the Russian occupiers is leading to “increasingly dangerous cases” of failures, the company wrote on Telegram.
For example, there were equipment and maintenance errors that compromised safety. For example, a reactor went from a cold to a warm shutdown state, causing boric acid to leak. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has also reported maintenance problems at the plant.
She fears that some maintenance work may have been incomplete. For example, in August a unit was shut down cold due to a water leak. Further maintenance work was then necessary to clean the heat exchangers of the safety systems.
Here you see a tweet from the IAEA about the current situation at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.
Fewer staff at the nuclear power plant
According to an IAEA report, experienced maintenance personnel have been reduced since the Russian occupation. The team did not have access to all parts of the nuclear power plant, but discovered no mines or explosives during inspections on November 3 and 5. “Given the ongoing precarious nuclear security situation at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant, the team will closely monitor efforts to prepare for the most challenging cold months of the year,” the report said.
Preparing for winter
According to IAEA experts, 21 natural gas boilers have so far been installed in the industrial zone near the nuclear power plant to provide additional heat in winter, including for the nearby town of Enerhodar. These could generate 57 megawatts of extra heat. In addition, on most days all nine mobile diesel boilers were in operation.
Criticism of the previous IAEA missions came from, among others, the environmental organization Greenpeace. According to her, the Russian army is firing missiles near the power plant, which the Atomic Energy Agency is not talking about (see video above).
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant came under Russian occupation on March 4, 2022. It will continue to be managed by local staff. The last reactor has also been in cold standstill since June 2023.
Source: Krone
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