TEXT & CONTEXT: THE RISKS OF THE ZAPORIZHZHIA NPP
The Zaporizhzhia NPP was taken over by Russian forces in May 2022 and has since had to operate in conditions that threaten safety.
TEXT & CONTEXT: THE RISKS OF THE ZAPORIZHZHIA NPP
The Zaporizhzhia NPP was taken over by Russian forces in May 2022 and has since had to operate in conditions that threaten safety.
• The nuclear plant is located southwest of Zaporizhzhia city, along the Dnieper River.
• It has six VVER-1000 reactors for a total power generation capacity of 6GW.
• The reactor complex consists of a reactor vessel, in which uranium dioxide fuel rods are immersed in water. The water is both coolant and moderator, which is at a constant pressure to prevent it from boiling.
• The heat from the heated water is converted into steam which is fed into turbines to generate electricity.
• In this design, the water does not leave the reactor vessel at any time. This gives the Zaporizhzhia NPP an advantage over reactors like at Chernobyl. The coolant (light water) and moderator (nuclear graphite) are different, and the coolant flows out of the reactor vessel.
• Unlike Chernobyl, the VVER-1000 reactor and its power generation units at Zaporizhzhia are placed inside a large airtight container called a containment.
• The six reactors at Zaporizhzhia have been in a cold shutdown since September 2022. This reduces the chances of an explosive leak. However, other concerns remain including nuclear-related risks and working conditions of the people at the plant, who have refused to sign new employment contracts with Russian employers.