The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant may face a situation similar to the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. This is reported by The Guardian.
Stress tests conducted by European regulators after the Fukushima nuclear reactor accident in Japan in 2011 showed that a nuclear power plant should be able to operate without external power for 72 hours. Exceeding this period has not been tested.
However, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been without external power since September 23. It is powered by diesel generators.
Currently, seven of the 18 generators on site provide cooling. Failure of these generators could lead to uncontrolled heating of nuclear fuel in six reactors within a few weeks. This, in turn, could cause a meltdown.
An accelerated version of this scenario occurred at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
According to the IAEA, there is enough diesel fuel for approximately 20 days. The head of the agency, Rafael Grossi, warns that the loss of external power significantly increases the risk of a nuclear accident.
The station claims that the situation is "under full control." The station director, Yuri Chernichuk, noted that the connection to the Russian power grid is in its final stages.
It is worth recalling that the accident at Fukushima occurred on March 11, 2011, after a strong earthquake and tsunami, which led to the melting of nuclear fuel and explosions at the station.