(Vienna) The nuclear safety of the Ukrainian power plant in Zaporizhia (south-east) is in a “precarious state”, warned on Wednesday the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi , in a press release.
According to the organization, the “last emergency power line” of the plant, damaged since 1er March, remains “disconnected and under repair”. However, it allows it as a last resort to ensure nuclear safety and security, in particular by cooling its reactors.
The plant has relied on electricity from a single main external 750 kV line for three weeks, and “any damage (to this line) will result in the total loss of all offsite power to the plant”.
“Nuclear safety within the (plant) remains in a precarious state,” Grossi said. “I once again call on all parties to commit to ensuring nuclear safety and protecting the security of the plant. »
On March 9, the gigantic power station, occupied by the Russian army, had been cut off from the Ukrainian electricity network for 11 hours after a Russian strike.
Emergency diesel generators had been switched on to ensure a minimum supply of security systems, according to Energoatom, which had warned of the risk of a nuclear accident.
“We are playing with fire,” warned Mr. Grossi.
High Representative of the European Union Josep Borell agreed, declaring: “This is a serious violation of nuclear security, caused by Russia […] Zaporizhia is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. And Russia endangers the security of the entire European continent, Russia included.”
Without the electricity produced by these generators, the overheating of reactor fuel can quickly cause a nuclear accident, in a scenario identical to that of Fukushima in Japan in 2011.