War in Ukraine: the Zaporijjia nuclear power plant endangered by a total power cut in the city – franceinfo

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi called for an “immediate cessation of bombardments in the area”. Article written by Published on 09/09/2022 16:51 Updated on 09/09/2022 17:54 Reading time: 1 min. The alert is given. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on Friday, September 9, a “total power outage” in the Ukrainian city of Enerhodar, where the Zaporijjia nuclear power plant is located, a situation that ” jeopardizes the safety of operations”. “The electrical infrastructure supplying the city of Enerhodar (…) was destroyed by the bombardment of the starting station of the city’s thermal power plant, causing a total cut of water and electricity”, detailed, in a press release, the director general of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, nformed by the two experts of the UN body present on the spot. “Given the intensification of the bombardments which are incessant, it is unlikely that it will be possible to restore reliable off-site power to the plant,” added the IAEA chief, who visited the site in early September. Under these conditions, the Ukrainian operator Energoatom “plans to close the only reactor in operation”, which currently produces the electricity necessary for cooling the nuclear fuel and the safety of the site. If necessary, all of the plant’s systems will have to rely on backup generators running on diesel, warns the Vienna-based agency. In addition, due to these “dramatic circumstances facing the inhabitants of Energodar”, the personnel necessary to maintain the security of the site may no longer be available. “This is totally unacceptable. This cannot continue,” insisted the IAEA director, adding that “a nuclear power plant can never be a pawn of war”. He calls to “immediately cease the bombardments in the area”. Shelling has caused a complete blackout in #Enerhodar and compromised the safe operation of the nearby #Zaporizhzhya NPP. This must stop & a Nuclear Safety & Security Protection Zone (NSSPZ) agreed immediately. An NPP can never be a pawn of war. https://t.co/jMMf7jk12S pic.twitter.com/7djejJe80G — Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) September 9, 2022 Share: Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share by email Share link