Is the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant at risk of exploding in Ukraine ?

The threats of a nuclear accident the Zaporizhia power plant are real and even growing according to the IAEA which is sounding the alarm…

"We are getting dangerously close to a nuclear accident". The threat to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine is very real and, above all, it is becoming more and more important. according to Rafael Grossi, the boss of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Questioned on Monday, April 15, on the sidelines of a meeting of the Security Council. of the United Nations dedicated to the situation near the largest power plant in Europe, the head of the agency gave a warning speech if not alarmist.

The previous week, Rafael Grossi had already signal the recent attacks observed near Zaporizhia on April 7 which were the “first” directly target the nuclear power plant" since November 2022, the date of the start of the occupation of the premises by Russia. A new feature which “brought us into a crucial phase of the conflict”.

Attacks against targets around the plant and now against the plant itself must stop immediately. ordered the head of the IAEA facing the UN. A message addressed to both Russia that'à Ukraine since it is "simply impossible to identify the country responsible" of these "irreflective attacks".

Security of the nuclear power plant "alreadyé compromised"

The worst was lives with the recent attacks which precisely targeted the Zaporizhia power station according to Rafael Grossi. "Although fortunately they did not cause any radiological incident this time, they have greatly increased; the risk à the power plant of Zaporizhia", he indicated. The manager insistedé in passing on the fact that the next strikes could have more dramatic consequences while "securityé nuclear [places] is already compromised".

These attacks which successfully "reached the containment structure of a reactor" moreover create a "dangerous precedent" according to the experts who surround the boss of the IAEA. After two years of war, the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant presents more risks of a nuclear incident, since & ;quot;the seven pillars of the IAEA on securityé and security nuclear power plants have been destroyed. compromise". The conclusions of these experts are therefore clear: "the potential dangers of a major nuclear accident remain very real".

"There is no possibility' that reactors explode"

One of the predecessors of Rafael Grossi à The head of the IAEA, Robert E. Kelley, also denounced the "madness" consisting à attack the nuclear power plant near Euronews. But according to this former scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, “there is no possibility” that reactors explode" after attacks of this type which have no security implications. The IAEA has, despite this, failed to do so. his many warnings, observedé no "damage to critical safety systems or security nuclear assets of the site" since the last attack on April 7.

If the specialist avoids the risk of explosion, it is thanks to the operation of the nuclear power plant Zaporizhia and its current state. One of the main risks faced by the plant is that of a power outage. which would prevent the reactors from cooling. But previous power outages have affected the reactors. the area, without affecting the Zaporizhia power station, which is supplied with electricity from the area. by the central &agrav; nearby coal or diesel generators. The decision was also made taken to put &agrav; the shutdown of all the reactors in Zaporizhia, as recalled by Rafael Grossi, which reduces the risk of explosion. Still, the explosion is only one option among all nuclear accidents. areas such as radiological leaks or incidents on a reactor or part of it, some of which are quite possible according to the IAEA.