Europe's largest nuclear power plant is in danger of being hit by artillery fire. [View all]

[another_liberal]

The environmental activists at Greenpeace are reporting fears a nuclear power plant near the fighting in southeastern Ukraine may be damaged by shelling. The six-reactor Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (fifth largest in the World) is still outside artillery range at present, but the fighting is getting closer. Maybe some ceasefire negotiations might be in order?

The Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.





Ukrainian nuclear plant vulnerable to Kiev’s artillery strikes – Greenpeace expert.

Europe’s largest nuclear power plant is vulnerable to ‘direct bombardment’ in Ukraine if caught in the conflict, a Greenpeace nuclear energy expert told a German newspaper, claiming that its nuclear reactors are not protected from armor-piercing weapons.

Greenpeace nuclear expert Tobias Münchmeyer revealed his concerns over the six-reactor Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant in eastern Ukraine to Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung. He said the plant was insufficiently protected against a direct bombardment and that 1.2-meter thick reinforced concrete shells surrounding each reactor are strong enough to withstand only a small aircraft crash.

"There are many armor-piercing weapons in the region, which could penetrate these protective covers," Münchmeyer said, as cited by Deutsche Welle on Saturday. The Soviet design reactors at Zaporizhia are largely dependent on Russian expertise and spare parts, the expert also said.

Zaporizhia is the largest nuclear power plant (NPP) not only in Ukraine, but also in Europe and also the fifth largest NPP in the world. It is situated on the bank of the Kakhovka water reservoir on the Dnieper River. This is some 200 kilometers from the warzone in Donetsk region.

(snip)

Read more at: http://rt.com/news/184004-greenpeace-zaporizhia-npp-danger/