Nova Kakhovka dam collapse threatens Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Energoatom says
The water level in the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant is rapidly decreasing after Russia blew it up, posing an additional threat to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Ukraine’s atomic agency Energoatom said in a statement.
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That water from the Kakhovka reservoir is necessary for the Zaporizhzia NPP to receive "power for turbine capacitors and safety systems," it added.
"The station’s cooling pond is full: as of 08:00 am, the water level is 16.6 metres, which is sufficient for the station’s needs."
The situation at ZNPP is under control, with Ukrainian personnel monitoring all the indicators, Ukrenergo added.
Separately, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog, posted on Twitter it was "closely monitoring" the situation but that there was "no immediate nuclear safety risk at (the) plant".
Russia blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant overnight on Tuesday, unleashing floodwater across the downstream area.
Local authorities have called on the residents to prepare for evacuation as the water level is estimated to reach peak levels at around 11:00 am.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, called the perpetrators "Russian terrorists" and convened a national security and defence council to discuss the situation.
