- What can the de-energization of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant lead to?
- Why do you need electricity at nuclear facilities? When we first loaded fresh fuel and started a nuclear reaction, it needed to be cooled all the time.
If this is not done, the heat that will accumulate there will melt the whole structure, go outside and get into the environment. In this way, radiation can enter people's bodies and irradiate them with radiation.
To cool, you need pumps that supply water or fans that remove heat from the structure.
The Chernobyl nuclear power plant has more than 20,000 spent fuel assemblies. This is all the fuel that was shipped from the Chernobyl power units after they were stopped. They need constant cooling.
Spent fuel is in the pool and is cooled by water pumps. After that, the warm water is cooled in a heat exchanger and fed back into the pool. This process must be continuous. If the pump loses power, the cooling process stops. Fuel cells will start to heat up.
A similar situation at ZNPP. There, the station is connected by four lines to the power system, and voltage is transmitted through them. Through them, the station itself receives electricity, thanks to which the reactors are cooled.
If these lines are damaged, the station will go into "full blackout" emergency mode when there is no external power supply.
In this case, include diesel generators. The probability of a nuclear accident depends on whether you have enough of these generators to restore external power.
So: out of four power lines at the ZNPP, two have already been damaged by the occupiers. If two more lines are damaged, it will be very close to disaster.
- How much time is there to prevent the worst-case scenario at Chernobyl?
- The work of the repository involves force majeure. Now everything will depend on the ambient temperature. It is quite cool now, in such conditions the cooling can work for about seven days without serious consequences.
After that, the water in the cooling system will gradually start to heat up and the temperature will rise. If not cooled at all, it will reach critical values in seven days.
Now diesel generators provide stable cooling. It will all depend on whether they have the fuel to continue working and technical resources.
- Earlier there was information that generators can work two days.
- In total, there should be fuel for ten days. This is a general term. Three days - for nuclear power units, another seven days - in addition to eliminate power outages.
Such generators work on ships for six months, but here they have a more powerful mode of operation, and no one knows how long they will work. The long-term operation of the generators was not expected.
- How long is it before the potential radiation enters the air?
- It is impossible to predict. I just described the physics of the process. When it heats up, then it will.
At the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the critical temperature can be reached in seven days if the generators are shut down. But diesel generators are now operating normally and the threat is being removed.
If the generators stop, you can start counting seven days. However, if you find a power source during this period, the situation will be under control.
- What do you need to do to return to standard power?
- It is necessary to agree with the occupiers on a "green corridor" for the Ukrenergo brigade, which can repair and restore the work of this line.
- You said about the release of radiation. Do you mean radiation vapors?
- We are not talking about an explosion. An explosion can occur if there is a direct hit by a projectile. If this does not happen, the emissions of radioactive gas into the air and into the water, which cools it all, will constantly increase.
- Why are the occupiers blocking the Chernobyl nuclear power plant?
- They do not understand what they are doing! What is Chernobyl or ZNPP? This is a well-fortified object in peacetime. That is, the station has a fence, security equipment around the perimeter, video surveillance and nuclear materials.
The occupiers use it as a military base. They went there, saw the whole perimeter from the inside and understood that no one would shoot there. At the same time, they can blackmail anyone who blows up nuclear material and scatters it all over Ukraine.
In addition, the infrastructure at these facilities is still very developed. That is, for the operation of power units there is equipment, appliances, dining room for a large number of staff, places for rest.
- You have appealed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to close access to the airspace over its nuclear facilities through the United Nations. What was the reaction?
- We are constantly in contact with the leaders of these organizations, but the reaction so far is as follows: a statement of concern, perhaps, a visit to the facility of specialists of these organizations to monitor security on the ground. No effective steps are taken.
We continue to contact them, inform them, but so far only so.
- Is the capacity of other nuclear power plants enough to provide the country with electricity?
- Now we work with four nuclear power plants. There are eight power units in operation, including two at ZNPP.
At the Zaporizhzhya station, four blocks were stopped, three of them due to shelling. Two more are still working because the power system needs them. But if the situation remains threatening, we will bring ZNPP to "zero".
- What is happening at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant? In what condition is the staff and does it work?
- The Chernobyl nuclear power plant is staffed 14 days ago. People themselves no longer want to leave, because they understand that if they leave their jobs, the invaders can cause trouble there. Therefore, they control the process.
Yesterday or the day before yesterday, humanitarian aid was brought to them and Russian journalists were invited for propaganda. The staff refused her. That is, they keep the spirit of patriotism and wait for our Armed Forces to release them.
A change of staff has been established at ZNPP. The staff works, but in very bad psychological conditions.
At the station are about three hundred soldiers of the Russian Federation in masks. Directly on the ZNPP site, between the first unit and the special corps, there are about 50 units of heavy military equipment, where no one is allowed.
Management also works under the barrels of machines. All issues, even technical, they must agree with the military commander of the Russian Federation. He is now the "chief atomist" there, who says "yes" or "no".
This is a very threatening situation, especially for the psychological state of the staff. These personnel are on the control panels, they directly control the reactors. Employees need to be focused on work, not on people with machine guns nearby.
- Did you contact the Russian nuclear power plants to inform them about the inadmissibility of this situation?
- Russian nuclear scientists fully understand this situation.
The fact is that we are still under the Moscow center of the World Association of Organizations Operating Nuclear Power Plants. This organization performs functions more or less similar to those of the IAEA.
We used to have a lot of contacts with Russian nuclear power plants. They understand everything perfectly, but say nothing. We understand that now they cannot open their mouths in Russia to support us. This is the main question.
- What would you like to say to Ukrainians and nuclear power plant personnel?
- The staff working at the Chernobyl and ZNPPs in Energodar are all patriots of Ukraine, they all expect support from us. We must use the opportunities we have with you to convey words of support.
I ask journalists to do this because it is very difficult for people . They found themselves in a situation where, for some reason, our Armed Forces were unable to protect them. Three people were killed and two were injured at the Zaporizhzhya station. In Energodar they were buried with honors, with the flags of Ukraine. We are now transferring funds to their families.
People can't stand these "orcs". They are waiting and hoping that our army will come and knock out these invaders. And it must be done. When we protect nuclear facilities, then we will protect Ukraine's security for the future.
