The Guardian: Fukushima Scenario Possible At Zaporizhzhya NPP

Because of the prolonged blackout.

Three days without external power at Zaporizhzhya NPP force emergency generators to work at maximum. Experts fear uncontrolled heating of reactors.

This is reported by The Guardian.

The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has been without external power for more than three days. Emergency generators are keeping cooling and safety systems running, but there are no signals that the line will be restored quickly.

Possible Kremlin intentions

Western experts and Ukrainian officials fear Russia is creating a crisis to consolidate control of Europe's largest nuclear power plant. Russia is taking high risks by trying to run at least one reactor under military conditions.

"Russia is using the nuclear power plant as a lever in negotiations," a Ukrainian official told reporters.

In the meantime, Greenpeace experts warn of a "new critical and potentially catastrophic phase" of the occupation.

Risks of uncontrolled heating

Stress tests by European regulators after the Fukushima accident in 2011 showed that a nuclear power plant must have external power for 72 hours. Exceeding that time limit has not been tested.

Seven of the 18 available generators are providing cooling so far, but if they fail, uncontrolled heating of nuclear fuel in six reactors for weeks is possible, which could lead to meltdowns.

Comparison with Fukushima

An accelerated scenario at Fukushima occurred because of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake: the hot reactors stopped automatically, but the emergency generators were knocked out by the tsunami. Three nuclear rods melted down in three days, fuel remained in the vessel, there were no fatalities but more than 100,000 people evacuated.

Russia's intention to integrate nuclear power plants into its grid

There are signs that Russia is close to connecting a new power line through occupied territories. An analysis of satellite imagery showed 125 miles of construction from the Russian grid in occupied Mariupol. Other images show a dam being erected to create a safer water reservoir that could allow one of the six reactors to start up.

A week ago, the plant's Russian director, Yuri Chernichuk, said integration into the Russian grid was "in its final stages," although starting up a reactor during a time of war would be unprecedented.

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