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Military operation in Ukraine

Cooling water level at Zaporozhye nuke plant normal after Kakhovka dam breach — watchdog

On June 6, the Ukrainian military launched a missile attack on the Kakhovka Hydro Power Plant, which resulted in the destruction of gate sluice valves at the HPP’s dam, triggering an uncontrolled discharge of water

TASS, June 8./ The water level required for cooling the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) remains normal after the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydro Power Plant (HPP) dam triggered massive flooding in the Kherson Region, technical supervisory services told TASS.

"At the Zaporozhye NPP, out of six reactors one is continuing to operate. The water level for cooling the power units is normal. The cooling pond is used in a closed circuit mode," TASS’ source said.

On Wednesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency said that the Zaporozhye NPP continued to replenish the water needed for cooling its reactors using the Kakhovka Reservoir. The water level continues to drop at a rate of 5-7 centimeters per hour after the dam at the Kakhovka HPP was destroyed. If the level drops below 12.7 meters, the intake water pumps will stop functioning. If all coolant ponds at ZNPP are filled, there will be enough water to cool the reactors and spent nuclear fuel for several months, the agency’s source noted.

On June 6, the Ukrainian military launched a missile attack on the Kakhovka Hydro Power Plant, which resulted in the destruction of gate sluice valves at the HPP’s dam, triggering an uncontrolled discharge of water. In nearby Novaya Kakhovka, the level of the reservoir reached 12 meters, but the water is currently receding. According to emergency services, there are 35 communities with a population of over 22,000 in the flood zone, and residents of nearby villages are being evacuated. The destruction of the hydro power plant has caused serious environmental damage with farm fields along the Dnieper River being washed away. As well, there is a risk that the North Crimean Canal may run low and become too shallow.

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the strike on the Kakhovka Hydro Power Plant as an act of deliberate sabotage by Ukrainian forces, adding that the Kiev regime should bear all of the responsibility for its consequences.

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