Power outage in Zaporizhzhia NPP: threat to radiation safety

A break in the 330 kV Zaporizhzhia Thermal Power Plant – Ferosplavna power transmission line, which supplied power to the plant from the Ukrainian power grid, occurred on the evening of 1 December.

Source: Energoatom, the national nuclear energy company, on Telegram

Details: Energoatom specified that the last 750 kV Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) — Dniprovska line had been cut off at 02:31 during an air raid.

ZNPP switched to auxiliary power using diesel generators due to the blackout.

Ukrenergo, Ukraine's national energy company, said all 20 diesel generators were switched on automatically, eight of which were later left in operation.

Quote: "The biggest security threat in the mode exists at power unit 4. This is because the occupiers used it in violation of the terms of the licence to operate NPPs issued by the Ukrainian regulator and kept it in a hot shutdown state. The shutdown of the main circulation pumps that cool the reactor core leads to the transition of the reactor plant to natural circulation mode.

This mode is difficult for the reactor unit. Its duration is limited by the design, and it can lead to the failure of the power unit's main equipment. The unit needs to be transferred to a cold state urgently."

More details: Energoatom added that, thanks to the efforts of Ukrainian specialists, the connection of the ZNPP to the Ukrainian power grid was restored at 07:00 on 2 December.

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