If a missile hits the ZNPP reactor, there will be a nuclear catastrophe - Energoatom
One power unit continues to operate at the captured Zaporizhzhia NPP, personnel were allowed to work, but all six reactors contain nuclear fuel and a catastrophe will occur if the missile hits.
This was stated by the Acting President of Energoatom Petro Kotin on Ukrainian TV channels.
"A column of enemy vehicles approached the central square in front of the nuclear power plant's administrative building, began shelling the territory of the nuclear power plant, the research and training center, and the administrative building in order to damage the checkpoint and enter the nuclear power plant.
Targeted shelling lasted until 4:30 am, the training center and one of its buildings were completely destroyed. It was also recorded that it hit the first power unit and the so-called dirty ZNPP overpass.
At 4:30, the resistance of the defenders of the nuclear power plant was broken and the invaders entered the territory of the NPP, took control of the personnel and management of the NPP. Today there is no connection, the management works under the barrels of the aggressor's machine guns, the personnel was admitted to duty in the morning," he said.
Kotin clarified that he had no direct connection with Energoatom and receives information from his sources at the station.
"What is the threat? There are six reactors. There is fuel in each of them, full load. Three reactor basins also have spent nuclear fuel. The station also has a separate nuclear installation, dry storage of spent nuclear fuel, which now has150 containers with spent nuclear fuel.
Hitting any missile there will lead to a nuclear catastrophe. This is the main danger.
Therefore, as soon as the shelling started, we started relocating power units: two power units were disconnected from the power system and two other power units began to cool down to bring them to the safest state for nuclear fuel loaded in them," he said.
Kotin added that it is difficult for the power system to work after the disconnection of two power units, but it has succeeded, and "it is ready to disconnect the last power unit at ZNPP."
The system will be balanced by Ukrenergo's efforts, he said.
It will be possible to decide how the last (fourth) power unit will work next only after understanding what security guarantees are, said the head of Energoatom.
