Concerns for the Chernobyl power plant where the electricity was cut

Almost two weeks ago, and as part of the“special military operation” launched the same day by Vladimir Putin, the Russian forces seized the infamous nuclear plant of Chernobyl. The authorities then reassured us: the safety of the installations had not been called into question. Even though the radiation rate recorded on the area had increased slightly.

But this morning, the Ukrainian operator Ukrenergo delivered worrying information. He indicated that the nuclear plant of Chernobyl has been disconnected from electrical network and that it is, in fact, itself no longer supplied, giving rise to fears that the systems for cooling spent nuclear fuel can no longer fulfill their role. And that radioactive substances can then be released into the air and carried away by the winds.

The generators emergency that have taken over seem to have a autonomy of 48 hours. Sufficient autonomy in normal times. But maybe not this time. The fighting in progress in the region prevents for the time being any possibility of intervention on the power line at high tension of the central.

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), however, the system in place at Chernobyl does not need a power supply to maintain its efficiency. The heat remaining to be dissipated after more than 20 years being minimal. The power cut on the site of the plant, on the other hand, once again comes up against the principles that govern nuclear safety.

The situation is all the more worrying since the IAEA specified, already yesterday, that the systems which usually allow it to remotely monitor the behavior of nuclear materials and the means implemented to avoid any radioactive leak in the perimeter of the Chernobyl power plant have stopped transmitting data.

A difficult and stressful situation

In the same communicated, the IAEA pointed out that the staff of the plant – more than 200 technicians – has now been in office for no less than fourteen days. Without relief. All with limited access to food and water. Even though Rafael Mariano Grossi, the Director General of the IAEA, recalled a few days ago that the capacity, for the personnel operating the installations, to take weighed decisions and without pressure is one of the seven pillars of safety and the nuclear safety.

“I am deeply concerned about the difficult and stressful situation facing the personnel of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant”, he said yesterday. Appellant “the forces effectively controlling the site to urgently facilitate the rotation of personnel”. The Ukrainian regulatory authority then specified that the only contact it could have with the personnel on site was by e-mail.

The other nuclear power plants in the country seem to be operating normally, with the teams continuing the usual rotation. Including on the side of the Zaporozhye power plant, also in the hands of Russian forces. Radiation levels appear normal. However, the IAEA has decided to initiate an operation to review the condition of the safeguards remote monitoring systems.