The Ukrainian State Emergency Service (SES) stated that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant fire was within the norm.
“As of 02:26 in the city of Energodar at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, the third power unit has been disconnected from the single power system (only Unit 4 is working). The fire situation at the NPP is within the norm,” the statement reads.
It is noted that the fire broke out on the territory of the NPP in the training building. The administrative building is located outside the NPP perimeter.
According to experts, the fire situation at the nuclear power plant is normal. At the same time, the rescuers are on standby.
SES said the plant is operational despite the fighting.
The fire started early Friday morning because of shelling by heavy equipment of the Russian Army, says Ukraine.
Energoatom stated that the shelling was “a violation of the nuclear and radiation safety of Europe’s largest nuclear facility, which could have serious and tragic consequences for the world.”
Zaporizhzhia NPP current status
According to the nuclear power plant employees, there is already a ‘hit’ in the first power unit, which is undergoing scheduled repairs. “But they did not have time to ship nuclear fuel from there,” said the employees. The claim is not verified by an external agency or the SES.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Ukraine at 03:26 Moscow time, only the fourth power unit operates at the Zaporizhzhia NPP – the third power unit was disconnected from the unified power system.
At 03:50 Moscow time, the head of the Zaporizhzhia region, Alexander Starukh, said that firefighters were allowed into the ZNPP territory.
Russia denies
The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Major General Igor Konashenkov, said that the Russian army took control of Berdyansk and Energodar in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, as well as the territory around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. He said that the NPP personnel continue to maintain facilities and control the radioactive situation in the normal mode.
The management company Energoatom has also stated that all Ukrainian nuclear power plants are operating normally, there are no violations of safe operating conditions.
Battle for Zaporizhzhia NPP
As per Ukrainian officials, Russian troops stepped up their attempts to seize the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Energodar on 3 March.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine said that despite representatives of the territorial defense and residents blocking the approaches and the road to Energodar, two tanks and two armoured personnel carriers approached the city, trying to break through the defense leading to the NPP.
The city mayor, Dmitry Orlov, said that residents are resisting and doing everything to prevent the enemy from passing further.
“According to preliminary information, on Kashtanovy Blvd., Molodezhnaya St., several houses were damaged during the shelling. Whether there are wounded is now being specified,” he wrote on social media.
As per reports, there is no water supply in the city because of shelling, and there is no electricity in some micro districts.
Zaporizhzhia NPP
Zaporizhzhia NPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe in terms of installed capacity but not efficiency. The plant’s six VVER-1000 power units were built according to the V-320 project. The first power unit was put into operation in December 1984, the sixth – in October 1995.