The Guardian: How dangerous is the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant?
Posted: 9th August 2022
How dangerous is the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant?
Ukraine’s reactor has been damaged by Russian shelling and the UN has asked to be given access to the site
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant outside the Russian-controlled city of Enerhodar, Ukraine.Photograph: Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters
The UN has called for international inspectors to be given access to the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, after it was shelled at the weekend. But how dangerous is the situation and what is likely to happen next?
Why is the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant important?
The plant, built in the Soviet era, is the largest nuclear reactor in Europe. Its six pressurised water reactors (of which at least two are currently operating) are important to Kyiv as they can produce power for up to 4m homes.
Situated on the south bank of the Dnieper river at Enerhodar, south-west of the city of Zaporizhzhia itself, the plant occupies an extremely important strategic position both for Russian and Ukrainian forces, who have been contesting control of the site since early in the war.
The presence of the water-cooled reactors, as well as a spent fuel storage facility, on the large and sprawling site has led Russia to use it as a so called “sheltered” artillery park, using the facilities to fire on Ukrainian positions in the belief that Ukraine would not fire back and risk a nuclear accident.
The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has accused the Russians of using the plant as a “nuclear shield” saying: “Of course the Ukrainians cannot fire back lest there be a terrible accident involving the nuclear plant.” That has allowed Russia to target areas like the city of Nikopol across the river which has come under heavy shelling in recent weeks.