They did not count on shelling. Expert on whether Zaporozhye NPP will survive

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What kind of nuclear reactors operate at the Zaporizhzhya NPP and how they can withstand shelling from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Alexander Uvarov, the head of the Atominfo Center, the editor-in-chief of the Atominfo portal, told aif.ru.< /p>

“The reactors that operate at the Zaporozhye NPP are the so-called light water reactors. This is one of the oldest types that was developed in the USA during the presidency of Eisenhower. A little later, similar reactors were developed in the USSR, in Podolsk. They are called VVER-1000.

Why are they interesting? Unlike the reactors “Chernobyl” (RBMK) and “Fukushima” (BWR, boiling water) type, it has at least two cooling circuits, which increases the ability to survive in nuclear accidents. We all know how accidents at these types of reactors ended. Accidents at reactors like our VVER have also happened in the world. In 1979, in the United States, half of the core melted at one of the power units of the American nuclear power plant Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania. Despite the seriousness of the accident, at that time it was not even necessary to carry out the evacuation of the population, although the station premises were seriously contaminated with radiation. Continued work and the neighboring power unit.

So VVER-1000 — this is a very tenacious “organism”, besides, the world has accumulated a lot of experience in their exploitation. Another thing is that the projects of reactors around the world did not provide that they would have to work in a combat zone. It just could not come to anyone's mind! In Soviet times, and the ZNPP was built in 1981, such strength was laid that could withstand the blows of the elements: tornadoes, floods, etc. From the effects of the “human factor” — terrorist attack or plane crash. By the way, recently I was looking for Soviet documents about which aircraft was meant: a heavy one like the Tu-154 & nbsp; or a light one like the An-2. Searched and did not find. So the question of what, in this sense, the structures at the ZNPP were designed for, remains open for me personally.

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Источник aif.ru