Due to Russian aggression number of operational events at Ukrainian NPPs doubles – inspectorate
As a result of Russian military aggression, the number of operational events at Ukrainian nuclear power plants (NPPs) in 2022 was more than twice as high as in previous years and was the highest in the last 10 years.
"In general, the number of events at Ukrainian nuclear power plants caused by military aggression exceeded the number of operational events that occurred due to operational factors," the State Nuclear Inspectorate of Ukraine reported on Friday.
As the inspectorate said, the events caused by Russian aggression, which occurred in 2022 and the first half of 2023, were associated with the seizure of the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant and damage to electrical equipment and buildings, the loss of a power line at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant due to shelling, explosions of mines at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant installed occupation forces; loss of power transmission lines for the nuclear power plant's own needs.
"At the same time, the investigation of 15 operational events and the additional investigation of three operational events that occurred at the Zaporizhia NPP power units in 2022 and in the first half of 2023 have not been completed due to the occupation of the Zaporizhia NPP and the lack of conditions for an objective determination of the causes of operational events," the inspectorate said.
As a result, the state-owned enterprise National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom made a decision, agreed with the State Nuclear Inspectorate, to extend the period of investigation of these events until de-occupation and to create safe conditions at the Zaporizhia NPP and in the city of Enerhodar.