Kyiv [Ukraine], March 4 (ANI): The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), located in southern Ukraine, has reported a fire on its territory, media reports said on Friday. The Zaporizhzhia NPP is located in the Zaporizhzhia region, and is the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe, Sputnik news agency reported. On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Russian troops had established control over Enerhodar. “There is a fire at the nuclear power plant,” the NPP‘s press service said in a statement.
Russian media reports said it was unclear how significant the fire is and whether it was caused by the hostilities. Ukraine Foreign Minister said Dmytro Kuleba claimed that the Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP.
Taking to Twitter, Kuleba said if the nuclear plant blows up, “it will be 10 times larger than Chornobyl.”
“Russian army is firing from all sides upon Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.
Fire has already broken out. If it blows up, it will be 10 times larger than Chornobyl! Russians must IMMEDIATELY cease the fire, allow firefighters, establish a security zone,” Kuleba tweeted. The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred in April 1986 in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, near the city of Pripyat in the north of the Ukrainian SSR in the Soviet Union.
This disaster is considered the worst nuclear disaster in history both in cost and casualties. (ANI)
IAEA in contact with Ukrainian authorities over shelling at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant
Kyiv [Ukraine], March 4 (ANI): After Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), located in southern Ukraine, reported a fire on its territory, IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is in contact with Ukrainian authorities about the situation.
“Ukraine: IAEA is aware of reports of shelling at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), in contact with Ukrainian authorities about situation,” tweeted IAEA. Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, has appealed for a halt of use of force and warned of severe danger if reactors are hit as it could be disastrous for radiation spread.
“IAEA Director General @RafaelMGrossi speaks with Ukraine PM Denys Shmygal and with Ukrainian nuclear regulator and operator about the serious situation at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, appeals for halt of use of force and warns of severe danger if reactors hit,” tweeted IAEA.
Meanwhile, Ukraine said that the fire at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has not affected “essential” equipment. “Ukraine tells IAEA that fire at site of #Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has not affected “essential” equipment, plant personnel taking mitigatory actions,” tweeted IAEA. Earlier on Friday — before the fire broke out — the IAEA released a statement warning that Russian troops were approaching the area and any fighting near the plant could be disastrous.
Ukraine told the IAEA “a large number of Russian tanks and infantry ‘broke through the block post to the town of Enerhodar, a few kilometers from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP),” the IAEA said in a statement.
It added that Ukraine’s regulatory authority had sent them an “urgent letter,” warning that Russian troops were moving directly toward the nuclear plant and the situation was “critical.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine regulators told IAEA that there has been no change reported in radiation levels at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
“#Ukraine regulator tells IAEA there has been no change reported in #radiation levels at the #Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant site,” tweeted IAEA. As per Eastern European media, NEXTA, there was no threat of radiation spread. “According to Andrey Tuz, spokesman of the press service of the nuclear power plant, there is no threat of radiation spread,” tweeted NEXTA.
Earlier, the mayor of a nearby town said the nuclear plant was on fire amid intense fighting in the area, with firefighters unable to reach the site. Ukraine’s foreign minister said Russian troops were “firing from all sides” at the plant.
Fighting stops in Zaporizhzhia, radiation levels normal
Kyiv [Ukraine], March 4 (ANI): Fighting has stopped near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on Friday and radiation levels are currently normal. Zaporizhzhia power plant spokesperson Andrey Tuz said the plant has not sustained any critical damage, although only one power generation unit out of six is operational as the fire continued at the facility
As per Eastern European media, NEXTA, there was no threat of radiation spread. “According to Andrey Tuz, spokesman of the press service of the nuclear power plant, there is no threat of radiation spread,” tweeted NEXTA. Earlier Friday, Ukrainian officials said firefighters were unable to access the nuclear plant. Tuz said when firefighters initially arrived, they were met with guns and turned around.
Ukrainian authorities said about 2:30 a.m. local time Friday that a fire had broken out at the nuclear power complex, located in Enerhodar, southeastern Ukraine. The plant is the largest of its kind in Ukraine and contains six of the country’s 15 nuclear energy reactors, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm tweeted Thursday night that she spoke with Ukraine’s energy minister about the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The US has activated its Nuclear Incident Response Team, and is monitoring the situation along with the Department of Defense, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the White House, she said.
“We have seen no elevated radiation readings near the facility. The plant’s reactors are protected by robust containment structures and reactors are being safely shut down,” she said. “Russian military operations near the plant are reckless and must cease,” she added.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a tweet on Friday that “essential” equipment at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant site has not been affected by the fire, according to Ukrainian authorities. It added that the “plant personnel (are) taking mitigatory actions.”
US President Joe Biden received an update from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky late Thursday night about the reported fire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the White House said in a statement after the two leaders’ phone call. Biden joined Zelensky “in urging Russia to cease its military activities in the area and allow firefighters and emergency responders to access the site,” according to the statement.
Biden also received an update on the situation from the undersecretary for Nuclear Security of the US Department of Energy and the Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is the biggest in Europe according to the plant’s website. It supports one-fifth of the total electric power generated in Ukraine.
The nuclear plant has six units in total, with the first one connected to the power grid in 1984, and the sixth one connected in 1995. (ANI)
