Concern is growing around Zaporijia, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, conquered by the Russians at the start of their invasion of Ukraine. Located on the banks of the Dnieper, about a hundred kilometers from the city of the same name, the plant was inaugurated in 1985. For several weeks, it has been the target of regular strikes by the Russians, and the whole of Europe holds his breath. The risk of accident is not to be excluded on this gigantic complex equipped with six reactors of 1000 megawatts each.
Although its construction already offers superior safety guarantees to its infamous little sister in Chernobyl – built in the 1970s – “the situation remains worrying”, confides Olivier Dubois, deputy director of nuclear safety at IRSN (Institut radiation protection and nuclear safety).
Between the regular bombardments, the risk of a shell falling on a reactor or a radioactive material storage warehouse, the failures of the power lines connected to the power plant and the holding hostage of the Ukrainian engineers who provide maintenance… the list hazard points is long. Video explanations.
