The State Inspectorate forbade the start-up of units of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, in which the Russians placed military equipment

The State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation has banned the start-up of power units No. 1 and No. 2 at the Zaporizhia NPP, where Russian troops have placed equipment and ammunition.

The regulator made changes to the licenses for the operation of these power units.

Operation of block No. 1 is allowed in the states of "fuel overload" — "cold stop", block No. 2 — in the state of "cold stop".

The nuclear reactors of the units will be silenced and will operate at low pressures and temperatures of the cooling water. Reactors in this state do not generate electricity and can remain in it indefinitely if connected to a power supply. If the power goes out, personnel will have 57 hours to disrupt the melting process.

The decision was made to secure the power units in case of non-standard situations due to the presence of Russian equipment in the machine rooms of the power units.

• Scientists of the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute of the State Emergency Service and the National Academy of Sciences simulated how radiation would spread in the event of an accident at the Zaporizhia NPP. Weather conditions for August 15-18 were used for the model. Radiation would affect not only Ukraine but also European countries.
• On August 18, the Ministry of Defense of Russia threatened to stop the operation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP if "Ukraine does not stop shelling the plant." "Energoatom" stated that the shutdown would bring the scenario of a radiation disaster closer.
• The occupiers said that on August 19, they were expecting a "large-scale provocation" at the ZNPP, allegedly from Ukraine, and announced an online broadcast. The Central Intelligence Agency reported that the Russians had announced an unexpected "day off" at the station. On August 19, only operative personnel will be at the ZNPP. Entry to all other employees will be closed. It is also known that the representatives of "Rosatom", who have been constantly at the station lately, urgently left the territory of the facility.