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Ukraine is considering shutting down Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, chief nuclear inspector says
Ukraine is contemplating shutting down the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant as a result of deteriorating safety scenario, mentioned Oleh Korikov, the chief state inspector for nuclear and radiation security of Ukraine.
If situations requiring the plant to be shut down come up, the plant and energy unit No. 6 can be shut down,” Korikov mentioned on Wednesday.
Zaporizhzhia is the most important nuclear energy station in Europe.
“The continued deterioration of the scenario, the extended lack of energy provide from an exterior supply of electrical energy will drive us to deploy standby diesel turbines, and this can be very troublesome to high up the diesel gas provide through the conflict,” Korikov added.
Korikov mentioned sustaining the diesel turbines working wouldn’t be sustainable.
For context: In an interview final month, Energoatom CEO Petro Kotin defined why diesel turbines are usually not a sustainable various.
Diesel turbines are backups to chill gas and hold issues operational, however there are caveats to utilizing them for an indefinite time and it is a “harmful” scenario to be in, he defined.
“Reliability questions could possibly be a problem … as a result of on this case, they could possibly be required to work for an indefinite time, they usually have restricted capability to continually be in work mode,” Kotin added.
Korikov’s issues are alongside the identical traces as tensions proceed on the plant.
“4 enormous diesel gas tanks are wanted per day,” Korikov defined. “Doubtlessly, we will discover ourselves in a scenario with no diesel gas; it can provide rise to an accident, damaging the lively zone of reactors and releasing radioactive merchandise into the surroundings. It won’t solely have an effect on the territory of Ukraine but in addition produce cross-border results.”
At the moment, the plant “generates electrical energy and provides it for its personal wants” by an distinctive course of referred to as islanding the place the plant — though disconnected from an influence grid — makes use of its personal power to energy cooling techniques, in line with Korikov.