Why is Zaporizhzhia NPP important?

The plant, built in the Soviet era, is the largest nuclear reactor in Europe. The six pressurized water reactors (of which at least two are currently operating) are important to Kyiv as they can generate power for up to 4 million homes. Located on the south bank of the Dnieper River in Enerhodar, southwest of the city of Zaporizhzhia itself, the plant occupies an extremely important strategic position for both Russian and Ukrainian forces, who have contested control of the site since the beginning of the war. . The presence of the water-cooled reactors, as well as a spent fuel storage facility, in the large and sprawling area has led Russia to use it as a so-called “sheltered” artillery park, using the facilities to fire on Ukrainian positions in the belief that Ukraine will not fire and would not risk a nuclear accident. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken accused the Russians of using the plant as a “nuclear shield”, saying: “Of course the Ukrainians cannot fight back in case of a terrible accident with the nuclear plant.” This has allowed Russia to target areas such as the riverside city of Nikopol, which has come under heavy shelling in recent weeks. .

Why is there renewed concern?

There are two issues fueling a deeper anxiety about the situation at the plant, which is under Russian control but uses Ukrainian staff. International nuclear safety officials are concerned about a lack of spare parts, access for routine reactor maintenance and a lack of contact with personnel, all of which have been disrupted by the ongoing conflict. A second issue is the firing of grad rockets around the plant over the weekend, with Russians and Ukrainians pointing to responsibility. According to Energoatom – Ukraine’s nuclear authority – the impact was near the spent fuel storage area with the operator claiming that Russian troops “specifically targeted” the containers despite the presence of Russian troops at the site. However, it’s worth noting that Ukrainian officials have at times overstated claims about the nuclear dangers posed by the conflict at both Chernobyl and Zaporizhia – so it’s currently unclear how dangerous this weekend’s incident was on its own . While Ukraine’s goal – to see the plant treated as a demilitarized zone – is an entirely prudent call, it would also serve a military purpose by denying Russian forces the use of a plant from which they can bomb with relative impunity. A final dimension is the claim by Ukrainian intelligence – reported in Ukrainian media – that Russia has mined facilities, citing the head of the Russian armed forces’ radiological, chemical and biological defense troops, General Valery Vasiliev, who now commands Zaporizhzhia . garrison, saying: “There will be either Russian land or a scorched desert.” However, a large and deliberate explosion in Zaporizhzhia would threaten southern Russia as well as Ukraine with nuclear contamination, so it is important to distinguish between “nuclear blackmail” and a serious threat that would have implications for Russia itself. Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST

So how dangerous is the shelling around the factory?

The reactors are designed to withstand significant impacts – think a civilian aircraft falling on them – protected by steel and reinforced concrete as well as fire protection systems, although a hit by a major missile might be more problematic. The buildings that house the spent fuel, however, are not built with a similar level of protection, meaning that the release of spent fuel material is probably a greater risk of combat than a catastrophic breach of a reactor, albeit a more limited one. The reality is that the situation in the factory in terms of security operations is perhaps the most serious issue, as the deterioration of the security regime caused by the conflict has been exacerbated by the threat of a strike. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, described the ongoing safety oversight crisis as a dire threat to public health and the environment in Ukraine and far beyond its borders, describing the situation as “completely out of control ». “You have a list of things that should never happen at any nuclear facility,” he said. While Grossi proposed a mission to the plant, Ukraine ironically blocked the initiative, with Energoatom arguing as recently as June that any visit would legitimize Russia’s presence there.