BERLIN, February 19 (dpa/EP) –
The risk of a catastrophe at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine due to fighting or loss of external power remains high, even though the threat has disappeared from the headlines, the head of the Federal Protection Office has said. Radiology of Germany.
Inge Paulini said this Saturday that there is a considerable risk of an accident with far-reaching consequences as long as the war continues.
“Almost a year after the start of the war of aggression, this danger already seems to be receding into the background in public consciousness,” he told the German news agency dpa during an interview.
Apart from a direct attack on a power plant, Paulini has stated that the risk associated with power failures is one of his main concerns.
In this sense, if the external power supply to a nuclear power plant is interrupted and the backup sources also fail, a nuclear meltdown could occur. A situation that could occur if combat operations again cause problems regarding the power supply of nuclear facilities.
“Electricity is absolutely necessary for safe operation,” said Paulini.
In light of the above, the tension continues around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, in southeastern Ukraine, occupied by Russia. Last year, the plant, the largest in Europe, was repeatedly bombed and suffered from power supply problems.
As confirmed by the director, the best option is to promote the creation of a security zone around the Zaporizhia plant, as requested by the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
