This cable ensures that the power plant will have the power it needs to cool the reactors and perform other safety functions, says the International Atomic Energy Agency.
On Sunday, Ukraine’s state energy agency, Energotom, reported that there was a complete shutdown of production at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant in Ukraine. They operate all nuclear power plants in Ukraine.
NRK was on its way out of town on Sunday morning, after staying there for a few days. There is a curfew after 11pm and schools are closed, but other than that, most things are business as usual.
Pictures from the International Atomic Energy Agency show damage to the nuclear power plant.
Photo: International Atomic Energy Agency
Allegations that the Russians are planning new attacks
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine claimed in the messaging application Telegram that the leadership of the Russian occupation forces is planning a new attack on the town of Enerhodar and the nuclear power plant.
They continued to demand that Russian forces leave the territory, and believed that the occupiers were planning to blame Ukraine for the next offensive.
The power plant occupied by Russia had no electricity from abroad to cool and run the reactors, after a missile attack on an electric plant in Enerhodar.
The sixth and last reactor in operation was disconnected from the power grid. The Norwegian Energy Agency wrote that the reactor had been “moved to the safest state – cold shutdown”.
They state that the plant has enough diesel oil for ten days of operation without electricity, but then it will be difficult to get more because of the fighting. There are no other backup solutions.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has since demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities since the power cut in Enerhodar, and the introduction of a demilitarized zone around the power plant to prevent a radiological disaster.
Soldiers outside a nuclear power plant.
Photo: AP
Russian forces occupied the power plant shortly after invading Ukraine in February, and concerns about security have grown as fighting escalates around the plant.
Russia and Ukraine blame each other for missile and artillery attacks in the region.
– just in case
Ingar Amundsen, head of the international department of the Directorate of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety, said Sunday morning that it is certain that the last reactor was shut down in a controlled manner from the Ukrainian side. It is simply safer.
– It is absolutely necessary to provide an external power supply to an operational power plant. When it is not possible to ensure stable maintenance of this due to frequent bombing, the operators and the Ukrainian authorities choose to shut down the reactor for the sake of safety.
– We have been concerned about this facility for a long time. We, an unstable situation. Acts of war in the neighborhood and direct skirmishes over the vital functions of the nuclear power plant in operational operation, it is troubling. It shouldn’t be.
Ingar Amundsen at the Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety.
Photo: Hallvard Sandberg/NRK
Amundsen says it is still unlikely that people in Norway will be required to take iodine tablets or stay indoors, due to the distance between us and the power plant.
– It also means that we will have time to do this kind of assessment, so to speak, and to inform the population about the actions.
– If the worst were to happen, which is the release of large amounts of radioactive material into the upper atmosphere and the winds blowing towards Norway, it might become appropriate to take special measures in food production in parts of the country where we would be able to have radiological repercussions.
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