Ukraine in Arabic | PM Yatseniyuk discloses an accident at nuclear power plant in Ukraine
KYIV/Ukraine in Arabic/ There has been an accident at the Zaporozhye nuclear plant in the south-east of Ukraine, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on Wednesday.
The problem had occurred at bloc No 3 – a 1,000-megawatt reactor – and the resulting lack of output had worsened the power crisis in the country.
“I know that an accident has occurred at the Zaporozhye NPP,” Yatsenyuk said, asking new energy minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn to make clear when the problem would be resolved and what steps would be taken to restore normal power supply across Ukraine.
The misbalance formed up when 1,000 megawatt Power Generating Unit No. 3 of Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and 19 energy generating facilities at thermal power plants were shut down for emergency repairs, and due to a small reserve of coal at thermal power plants and hydro-resources, and an increased consumption in the current spell of chilly weather, Ukrenergo said.
"Another reason for the rolling blackouts is the energy saving companies' failure to abide by the set limits," the company said.
According to Ukrenergo's most recent report, energy consumption by the Unified Energy System of Ukraine amounted to 25,826 megawatts on November 24 when the temperatures dropped to minus 2.9 degrees. Night temperatures fell to minus ten degrees in Ukraine this week, rising to minus six in the daytime, but further cooling is likely in the coming days.
Energy Generating Unit No. 3 of Zaporozhye nuclear power plant is expected to be re-launched on December 5
The Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, in the south-east of Ukraine, is the country's largest nuclear power station and the fifth largest in the world. It has six operating Soviet-era VVER-1000 nuclear reactors.