The expert did not rule out a nuclear danger against the backdrop of the shutdown of the sixth block of the ZNPP

MOSCOW, 12 Sep — PRIME. The shutdown of the sixth power unit of the Zaporozhye NPP reduced the risks of a nuclear accident, but did not completely eliminate the danger, Renat Karchaa, adviser to the head of Rosenergoatom, said on the Rossiya 24 TV channel.

Earlier, the authorities of the Zaporozhye region informed about the shutdown of the last operating sixth power unit of the nuclear power plant. The so-called “cold shutdown” mode has been applied, the reactor is cooled by the operation of diesel generators. The reason for stopping the power units of the Zaporozhye NPP is related to the possibility of an emergency due to the constantly changing load and operating modes of turbines and reactors in connection with the shelling of high-voltage lines and energy infrastructure, the authorities noted.

“Of course, the shutdown of the sixth power unit removed a significant danger, but far from all. If the shelling does not stop, then there are many ways to provoke a nuclear catastrophe. And then it will not matter what scale it is and what caused it – damage to the reactor or some other factors “, – he said.

According to the adviser, attacks by Ukrainian troops could lead to a fire in turbine oil tanks, then to an explosion in hydrogen tanks. The result of shelling can be damage to buildings that contain fuel for reactors and other radioactive materials. The protection of such facilities is significantly less than that of power units, Karchaa noted.