SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
A Ukrainian Emergency Ministry rescuer attends an exercise in the city of Zaporizhzhia on August 17, 2022 in case of a possible nuclear incident at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. (Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images)
Grave Warnings as Fires Briefly Disconnect Ukraine Nuclear Plant From Power Grid
"The collapse of external connections to the plant means reliance on diesel-fueled generators," noted one observer. "If those generators malfunction, the reactor could overheat and create a nuclear disaster in 90 minutes."
Aug 25, 2022
Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest atomic energy facility in all of Europe, was briefly cut off from the war-torn country's electrical grid Thursday after fires damaged a transmission line, an incident that spotlighted the severe dangers posed by ongoing fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces near the vulnerable site.
"The perilous nature of what unfolded today should not be underestimated."
The Associated Press reported that "the damaged line apparently carried outgoing electricity--and thus the region lost power, according to Yevgeny Balitsky, the Russia-installed governor."
"As a result of the damage, the two reactors still in use went offline, he said, but one was quickly restored, as was electricity to the area," AP added. "The line that was apparently affected is different from the one that carries power to run cooling systems essential for the safe operation of the reactors. A loss of power in those supply lines is a major concern of experts warily watching the fighting."
Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs, warned in a tweet Thursday that "if [the] Zaporizhzhia plant isn't connected to the grid again, another Fukushima or Chernobyl can happen."
According to Reuters, "Fires broke out in the ash pits of a coal power station near the Zaporizhzhia reactor complex--Europe's largest nuclear facility--and interfered with power lines connecting the plant to the grid."
The facility is currently under the control of Russian forces but Ukrainian workers are still tasked with maintaining the plant's day-to-day operations. Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of shelling near the plant; earlier this year, fighting caused a fire to break out at the facility.
"Any further escalation of the situation could lead to self-destruction."
While the plant was soon reconnected to the power grid Thursday without any apparent structural issues, environmentalists, international nuclear safety monitors, and atomic energy experts have been warning for months of potentially grave consequences should the Zaporizhzhia plant incur major damage.
"The perilous nature of what unfolded today should not be underestimated," said Samuel Ramani, tutor of politics and international relations at the University of Oxford. "The collapse of external connections to the plant means reliance on diesel-fueled generators. If those generators malfunction, the reactor could overheat and create a nuclear disaster in 90 minutes."
Reuters reported that two reactors at Zaporizhzhia "that had been disconnected were being powered by diesel generators" earlier Thursday.
"Each power unit, which includes a reactor, a cooling system, and other equipment, has three Soviet-era diesel generators that 'are not able to work for weeks,'" Reuters added, citing an unnamed source. "A spokesperson for Energoatom denied the diesel generators had been switched on."
In March, Greenpeace released an analysis warning that "in the event of a loss of cooling and resultant fire in any of the spent fuel pools at Zaporizhzhia, the potential for a very large release of radioactivity would have a devastating effect not only on Ukraine but also its neighboring countries, including Russia, and potentially, depending on the weather conditions and wind directions, on a large part of Europe."
Addressing the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is "gravely concerned about the situation in and around" Zaporizhzhia. Guterres has called for the immediate demilitarization of the area surrounding the plant, a demand that Russia has rejected.
"The warning lights are flashing," Guterres said in his speech. "Any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety, or security of the nuclear plant are simply unacceptable. Any further escalation of the situation could lead to self-destruction. The security of the plant must be ensured, and the plant must be reestablished as purely civilian infrastructure."
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest atomic energy facility in all of Europe, was briefly cut off from the war-torn country's electrical grid Thursday after fires damaged a transmission line, an incident that spotlighted the severe dangers posed by ongoing fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces near the vulnerable site.
"The perilous nature of what unfolded today should not be underestimated."
The Associated Press reported that "the damaged line apparently carried outgoing electricity--and thus the region lost power, according to Yevgeny Balitsky, the Russia-installed governor."
"As a result of the damage, the two reactors still in use went offline, he said, but one was quickly restored, as was electricity to the area," AP added. "The line that was apparently affected is different from the one that carries power to run cooling systems essential for the safe operation of the reactors. A loss of power in those supply lines is a major concern of experts warily watching the fighting."
Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs, warned in a tweet Thursday that "if [the] Zaporizhzhia plant isn't connected to the grid again, another Fukushima or Chernobyl can happen."
According to Reuters, "Fires broke out in the ash pits of a coal power station near the Zaporizhzhia reactor complex--Europe's largest nuclear facility--and interfered with power lines connecting the plant to the grid."
The facility is currently under the control of Russian forces but Ukrainian workers are still tasked with maintaining the plant's day-to-day operations. Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of shelling near the plant; earlier this year, fighting caused a fire to break out at the facility.
"Any further escalation of the situation could lead to self-destruction."
While the plant was soon reconnected to the power grid Thursday without any apparent structural issues, environmentalists, international nuclear safety monitors, and atomic energy experts have been warning for months of potentially grave consequences should the Zaporizhzhia plant incur major damage.
"The perilous nature of what unfolded today should not be underestimated," said Samuel Ramani, tutor of politics and international relations at the University of Oxford. "The collapse of external connections to the plant means reliance on diesel-fueled generators. If those generators malfunction, the reactor could overheat and create a nuclear disaster in 90 minutes."
Reuters reported that two reactors at Zaporizhzhia "that had been disconnected were being powered by diesel generators" earlier Thursday.
"Each power unit, which includes a reactor, a cooling system, and other equipment, has three Soviet-era diesel generators that 'are not able to work for weeks,'" Reuters added, citing an unnamed source. "A spokesperson for Energoatom denied the diesel generators had been switched on."
In March, Greenpeace released an analysis warning that "in the event of a loss of cooling and resultant fire in any of the spent fuel pools at Zaporizhzhia, the potential for a very large release of radioactivity would have a devastating effect not only on Ukraine but also its neighboring countries, including Russia, and potentially, depending on the weather conditions and wind directions, on a large part of Europe."
Addressing the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is "gravely concerned about the situation in and around" Zaporizhzhia. Guterres has called for the immediate demilitarization of the area surrounding the plant, a demand that Russia has rejected.
"The warning lights are flashing," Guterres said in his speech. "Any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety, or security of the nuclear plant are simply unacceptable. Any further escalation of the situation could lead to self-destruction. The security of the plant must be ensured, and the plant must be reestablished as purely civilian infrastructure."
Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest atomic energy facility in all of Europe, was briefly cut off from the war-torn country's electrical grid Thursday after fires damaged a transmission line, an incident that spotlighted the severe dangers posed by ongoing fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces near the vulnerable site.
"The perilous nature of what unfolded today should not be underestimated."
The Associated Press reported that "the damaged line apparently carried outgoing electricity--and thus the region lost power, according to Yevgeny Balitsky, the Russia-installed governor."
"As a result of the damage, the two reactors still in use went offline, he said, but one was quickly restored, as was electricity to the area," AP added. "The line that was apparently affected is different from the one that carries power to run cooling systems essential for the safe operation of the reactors. A loss of power in those supply lines is a major concern of experts warily watching the fighting."
Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs, warned in a tweet Thursday that "if [the] Zaporizhzhia plant isn't connected to the grid again, another Fukushima or Chernobyl can happen."
According to Reuters, "Fires broke out in the ash pits of a coal power station near the Zaporizhzhia reactor complex--Europe's largest nuclear facility--and interfered with power lines connecting the plant to the grid."
The facility is currently under the control of Russian forces but Ukrainian workers are still tasked with maintaining the plant's day-to-day operations. Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of shelling near the plant; earlier this year, fighting caused a fire to break out at the facility.
"Any further escalation of the situation could lead to self-destruction."
While the plant was soon reconnected to the power grid Thursday without any apparent structural issues, environmentalists, international nuclear safety monitors, and atomic energy experts have been warning for months of potentially grave consequences should the Zaporizhzhia plant incur major damage.
"The perilous nature of what unfolded today should not be underestimated," said Samuel Ramani, tutor of politics and international relations at the University of Oxford. "The collapse of external connections to the plant means reliance on diesel-fueled generators. If those generators malfunction, the reactor could overheat and create a nuclear disaster in 90 minutes."
Reuters reported that two reactors at Zaporizhzhia "that had been disconnected were being powered by diesel generators" earlier Thursday.
"Each power unit, which includes a reactor, a cooling system, and other equipment, has three Soviet-era diesel generators that 'are not able to work for weeks,'" Reuters added, citing an unnamed source. "A spokesperson for Energoatom denied the diesel generators had been switched on."
In March, Greenpeace released an analysis warning that "in the event of a loss of cooling and resultant fire in any of the spent fuel pools at Zaporizhzhia, the potential for a very large release of radioactivity would have a devastating effect not only on Ukraine but also its neighboring countries, including Russia, and potentially, depending on the weather conditions and wind directions, on a large part of Europe."
Addressing the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is "gravely concerned about the situation in and around" Zaporizhzhia. Guterres has called for the immediate demilitarization of the area surrounding the plant, a demand that Russia has rejected.
"The warning lights are flashing," Guterres said in his speech. "Any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety, or security of the nuclear plant are simply unacceptable. Any further escalation of the situation could lead to self-destruction. The security of the plant must be ensured, and the plant must be reestablished as purely civilian infrastructure."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.