The Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is under Russian control, was hit by shelling Sunday (20 November). This drew condemnation from the UN nuclear watchdog, who said that such attacks could lead to a major nuclear catastrophe.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said that more than a dozen explosions rocked Europe’s largest nuclear power plant Saturday night (19 November) and Sunday. Both Kyiv and Moscow blamed each other for the attacks on the facility.

Rafael Grossi, head of IAEA, said: "The news from our team yesterday morning and this morning are extremely disturbing. Explosions occurred at the site for this nuclear power plant. This is totally unacceptable. It must be stopped immediately by the person responsible. You’re playing with fire, as I’ve said before."

The IAEA ground team cited information from plant management to say that there was damage to some buildings, equipment, and systems at the site but nothing of critical importance for nuclear safety or security.

The repeated shelling of the plant in south Ukraine that Russia took over shortly after February’s invasion has raised concerns about the possibility of a serious accident 500km (300 miles) away from the site of the worst nuclear accident in history, the 1986 Chornobyl accident.

Zaporizhzhia’s nuclear power plant supplied about a fifth (or so) of Ukraine’s electricity prior to Russia’s February 24th invasion. It has had to operate multiple times on back-up generators. Six Soviet-designed VVER-1500 V-320 water-cooled, water-moderated reactors with Uranium 235 are housed in the plant.

Although the reactors have been shut down, there is still a possibility that the nuclear fuel could heat up if the power to the cooling systems is cut. Shelling has cut power lines repeatedly.

SIDES SWAP BLAME
Both Moscow and Kyiv have been accused of attacking the plant several times during the conflict, putting at risk a nuclear accident. They exchanged blame again on Sunday.

Russia’s defense ministry claimed that Ukraine had fired shells at power lines supplying this plant. However, TASS reported that some storage facilities on the site were damaged by Ukrainian shelling. This was a quote from a Russian nuclear power operator Rosenergoatom.

"They attacked not only yesterday but also today," Renat Karchaa, an advisor to Rosenergoatom CEO, stated. He added that any artillery attack on the site was a threat to nuclear security.

Karchaa stated that the shells were fired close to a dry nuclear waste storage area and a building that holds fresh spent nuclear fuel. However, no radioactive emissions have been detected at this time, according to TASS.

Energoatom, Ukraine’s nuclear energy company, claimed that the Russian military attacked the site. It also stated that there were at most 12 hits to the plant infrastructure.

According to the report, Russia targeted parts of the plant’s infrastructure to allow it to be restarted in an effort to limit Ukraine’s power supply.

AE News