Yesterday, November 23, 2022, a disappointing event occurred in the history of Ukrainian nuclear energy. Because of a frequency reduction in the power system due to damage to the power infrastructure, emergency protection was activated at the Rivne, South Ukraine and Khmelnytskyi NPPs.
All power units of these power plants were automatically disconnected from the power grid. The temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhya NPP, which has been out of operation since September of this year, went into full blackout mode with the start-up of all diesel generators. Thus, for the first time in the 40-year history of the Ukrainian nuclear power industry, all NPP power units were shut down.
Such a situation is foreseen by the regulations for the operation of nuclear power plants, which are equipped with reliable safety systems, and the staff has the necessary level of qualification and knowledge for prompt response. However, this should not be reassuring. After all, there is a real danger of a nuclear and radiation disaster caused by the shelling of the entire territory of Ukraine by russian cruise and ballistic missiles, and a huge risk of damage to nuclear plants.
These criminal actions of putin and his accomplices, which are pushing humanity to the brink of a nuclear catastrophe, cannot be called otherwise than blackmail of the whole world. Russia must answer for this shameful crime. Additional tough sanctions should be immediately imposed on the state – sponsor of terrorism, in particular, on rosatom and its affiliated structures, which are an integral part of the russian criminal power. The international community can stop the criminal war unleashed by the kremlin and the threat of nuclear armageddon just by dramatically increasing the pressure on the bloody aggressor and further isolating him politically, economically, financially, etc., as well as by continuing to provide Ukraine with all the necessary weapons.
SE «NNEGC «Energoatom» is doing its best to restore the operation of nuclear generation as soon as possible. This morning, November 24, 2022, the Zaporizhzhya NPP received power for its in-house needs from the energy system of Ukraine. All diesel generators are switched off and transferred to standby mode. Start-up operations are being carried out at the power units of the Rivne, South Ukraine and Khmelnytskyi NPPs. During the day, if the power system is ready, the units of these power plants will be connected to the power grid, and the supply of electricity for the needs of our citizens and the country's economy will be restored.
