The external power supply to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been absent for more than three days - a record period that poses serious safety threats. The last power line was damaged from the Russian side, and now the cooling and safety systems are powered only by emergency diesel generators.
Russian operators of the plant reported that there is enough diesel fuel for 20 days. However, if the generators fail, there could be uncontrolled heating of nuclear fuel in the reactors, leading to disaster.
The situation is described as 'deeply alarming', and experts call it potentially catastrophic. European standards have shown that a nuclear power plant should operate without power for no more than 72 hours. The Zaporizhzhia NPP has already remained in this condition for at least 20 days, a scenario that has not been tested before.
The European Union has expressed serious concern over the risks to nuclear safety posed by Russia's actions at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Russian propaganda, in turn, tries to shift the blame onto Ukraine and undermine the authority of the IAEA.
It is worth noting that IAEA experts are blocked from accessing critical facilities at the plant, and the President of Ukraine has stated that international institutions are unable to respond effectively to such situations, creating a risk of an emergency event.
Russian propaganda, blocking of IAEA experts, and safety issues at the Zaporizhzhia NPP have caused serious concern and outrage in the EU and around the world. Attempts to resolve the situation and avoid potential catastrophic consequences are ongoing.