Herman Halushchenko, Ukraine’s Minister of Energy, attended United News, a Ukrainian joint information telethon launched in February 2022, sharing details about the eighth, most recent, blackout that occurred on December 2, 2023, at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).
Halushchenko said that the plant’s occupation by the Russian forces had created significant risks of a large-scale technological catastrophe that could extend far beyond the borders of Ukraine. “It is alarming that yet another, the eighth now, blackout occurred at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Each blackout poses a significant threat; we are now on the verge of witnessing another Fukushima in Ukraine”, said Halushchenko. He also added that this situation urgently requires a more stringent response to Russia’s actions at the ZNPP.
Petro Kotin, the president of Ukraine’s Energoatom (National Nuclear Energy Generating Company), also warned that intentionally risky handling of nuclear plant equipment by the Russian forces could lead to a nuclear tragedy. “Last night, we were on the verge of a major nuclear incident”, said Kotin.
Energoatom reported in its Telegram channel that on the evening of December 1, there was a power line failure at the Zaporizhzhia Thermal Power Plant (TPP) – Ferosplavna Plant transmission line with a voltage of 330 kV. Through this line, ZNPP received power from the Ukrainian power system. Additionally, at 02:31, during an air raid alarm, the power was lost on the last line, Zaporizhzhia NPP – Dniprovska, with a voltage of 750 kV. Due to the blackout, ZNPP switched to emergency diesel generators. All 20 generators were activated; later on, eight of them remained in operation. Ukrainian staff managed to restore communication with the Ukrainian power system at 7:00.
Energoatom’s management said in a statement that, at the moment, the greatest threat exists in the plant’s 4th unit. This is due to the fact that Russian occupation forces violated numerous security guidelines while operating the unit, and it now requires an urgent transition to a cold shutdown state. “When the main circulation pumps cooling the active zone experience a power outage, this forces the reactor to transit into a natural circulation mode. Such mode is highly challenging for the reactor; the project limits its duration, and it can lead to the failure of the power unit main equipment”, the statement said.
Earlier, on 14 November, due to the incompetence of Russian occupation forces and the employees of Russian Rosatom present on ZNPP, a partial blackout occurred. During this incident, a power outage occurred at ZNPP’s 6th power unit, prompting the activation of diesel generators and safety systems. The incident lasted 90 minutes. This was later confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors who were present at the site of the temporarily occupied nuclear power plant.
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, commented on the most recent December incident without specifying the details or identifying Russian occupation forces as a responsible party. “The most recent external power outage is yet another reminder of the nuclear safety and security situation at the plant, which can be affected by events far away from the site itself”, said Grossi. “I also call on all parties not to take any action that could further endanger the plant”, said he.
