Russian troops occupy Zaporizhzhia Nuclear power plant informs Ukraine, fire doused

After a fierce gun battle, the Russian military has occupied the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear power plant on Friday, informed,Ukraine's State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate (SNRIU). The agency issued a statement that a fire broke out at the training building outside the NPP which was extinguished by 6:20 AM (Ukraine Time). The fire, due to heavy shelling by Russian Army was localized on an area of ​​2,000 square meters, stated SNRIU.

'Zaporizhzhya under Russian control': Ukraine

"ZNPP power units remain intact, unit 1 reactor compartment auxiliary buildings have been damaged, which does not affect the safety of the unit. The systems and components important to the safety of the NPP are operational. At present, no changes in the radiation situation have been registered. Currently, the site of the Zaporizhzhia NPP is occupied by the military forces of the Russian Federation," stated SNRIU. Russia has already taken over the now-defunct Chernobyl power plant.

The SNRIU added that operational personnel are monitoring the state of the power units and are ensuring their operation in accordance with the requirements of process procedures for safe operation. As of now of the six reactors at Zaporizhzhya - Unit 1 is in outage, Units 2, 3 have been disconnected from the grid, Unit 4 is in operation at 690 MW power and Units 5, 6 are being cooled down. No casualties has been reported due to the fire.

Attack on Zaporizhzhia power plant

The Zaporizhzhia power plant - operational since 1984 - has an installed capacity of 6GW - six units which produce up to 42 billion kWh of electricity, according to Power Technology. Each unit comprising of a pressurised water reactor (PWR) generates 1000 MW each. The plant - which is controlled by Ukraine’s national nuclear energy generating company NNEGC Energoatom - has been surrounded by Russian troops for the past two days.

On March 1, Russia informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that its military forces have taken control of the territory around Zaporizhzhia NPP. Russia added that personnel at the plant continued their “work on providing nuclear safety and monitoring radiation in the normal mode of operation. The radiation levels remain normal”. On March 3, Ukraine  warned IAEA that Russian forces were moving towards Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

In the early hours of Friday, a heavy gun battle and firing began at the Zaporizhzhya NPP, informed Mayor of Energodar Dmytro Orlov. With Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warning of a 'catastrophe ten times larger than 1986 Chernobyl accident', President Zelenskyy pleaded with Europe saying, "For the first time in human history, a terrorist state has resorted to nuclear terror. Only immediate European action can stop Russian troops”.