Possible consequences of the accident at Zaporizhzhya NPP

russian occupation troops are shelling Ukrainian-controlled settlements from the territory of the seized Zaporizhzhya NPP. Meanwhile, the occupationists carry out attacks at the ZNPP itself and threaten to blow it up. The power plant has been mined. The State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management spoke about the possible consequences of the accident at the Europe’s largest Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant.

Thus, in order to assess the possible consequences of the disaster at the ZNPP, experts were guided by the consequences of the 1986 accident at the Chornobyl NPP: "There were 2,200 fuel assemblies at the Chornobyl NPP reactor 4 whereas at the ZNPP six reactors and the spent nuclear fuel storage facility contain up to 18,000 fuel assemblies (9-10 times more). That is, the consequences of the accident at the ZNPP can be ten times more powerful than in 1986 at the Chornobyl NPP."

In the event of a disaster, the area of ​​the potential exclusion zone will be up to 30,000 km² (like 10 Chornobyl exclusion zones), while the Zaporizhzhya region will actually be lost for living and farming. At the same time, the area of ​​potential contaminated territory is up to 2 million km², while the degree of contamination of other territories of Ukraine and Europe, russia and belarus will depend on the wind.

«Кількість ліквідаторів може становити від 1 млн осіб, а загиблих – десятки тисяч, залежно від поточної кількості людей на території Запорізької області, кількість евакуйованих/відселених осіб – від 2 млн осіб. Також на неосяжну кількість років буде забруднена ріка Дніпро. Аварія може спричинити викид радіоактивного цезію-137 у кількостях, небезпечних для здоров'я людей, ґрунтів, водойм. Основна частина викидів припаде на Україну, але постраждають також ЄС, білорусь і росія», – написала Лала Тарапакіна, радниця міністра захисту довкілля та природних ресурсів.

"The number of liquidators can be from 1 million people, and the dead – tens of thousands, depending on the current number of people on the territory of Zaporizhzhya region, the number of evacuated/displaced people – from 2 million people. Furthermore, the Dnipro River will be contaminated for an immeasurable number of years. An accident can cause the release of radioactive cesium-137 in quantities dangerous to human health, soil, and water bodies. The main part of the emissions will fall on Ukraine, but the EU, belarus and russia will also be affected," Adviser to the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Lala Tarapakina wrote.

An accident can be caused by a fire, an explosion, or damage by shells, bombs, or missiles.