ANS: Blowing up the Zaporizhzhia NPP does not pose a threat to peopleʼs health, it is inappropriate to compare it with Chernobyl

Author:
Anhelina Sheremet
Date:

The American Nuclear Society (ANS) carefully considered the "worst-case scenarios" for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) — bombing and deliberate detonation of the reactors and spent fuel storage containers. These scenarios will not result in radiation-related public health effects.

This is stated in the statement of the organization.

The nuclear society stated that six reactors at the nuclear power plant were shut down more than ten months ago and were no longer producing enough heat to cause a rapid release of radiation.

In the unlikely event of a reactor containment breach, any potential release of radioactive materials would be confined to the area immediately surrounding the reactors. In this regard, any comparison of the ZNPP with Chernobyl or Fukushima is both inaccurate and misleading, the nuclear community emphasized.

The head of intelligence Kyrylo Budanov informed on July 7 that although the threat of a terrorist attack at the ZNPP is decreasing, there is currently no question of the complete elimination of risks at the nuclear plant, as it is still controlled by the Russian occupiers.

The IAEA stated on July 5 that its inspectors had inspected parts of the facility in recent days and weeks, including some areas around the perimeter of a large cooling pond, and had conducted regular rounds of the site — so far no visible signs of mines or explosives had been observed.