ZNPP losses from Russian aggression in past two months grow almost 1.5-fold to UAH 40 bln

PIVDENNOUKRAINSK. Jan 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) – National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom estimates the losses inflicted on the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) during the Russian occupation since March 4 last year at approximately UAH 40 billion; losses from shelling and blackouts, albeit on a smaller scale, are also recorded for the remaining three nuclear power plants, Energoatom President Petro Kotin has said.

"The damage inflicted to the Zaporizhia NPP by Russian invaders is estimated at more than UAH 40 billion, the most. At other plants, these losses are also calculated. The consequences of shelling, blackouts at the plants – we take all this into account to bill the Russian Federation later," he said at a briefing on Pivdennoukrainska NPP on Monday late in the evening.

Early November, according to previously released information, these losses amounted to slightly more than UAH 28 billion.

At the same time, Kotin said that the point is not even about money, but about Ukraine being able to ensure the safe operation of our plants in any case.

Regarding the Zaporizhia NPP, the head of Energoatom drew attention to the progressive degradation of the plant due to downtime and the actions of the occupiers on it.

"Three months ago, I could have told you this: if we now de-occupy the plant, we will connect the first two reactors in a week. Today I can say: we will study the situation for a long time, I think at least two months, to see what level of degradation" Kotin said.

According to him, if Ukraine fails to gain control over the ZNPP for a long time, irreversible consequences may arise.

"In the end, if this [occupation] continues for a year or two, the ruschists will never launch these reactors, but they will actually disable the entire plant. It is possible that it will no longer be possible to connect it," the head of Energoatom said.

At the same time, he said that the Russian occupiers are no longer making attempts to connect the Zaporizhia NPP to their power system. "Finally it dawned on them that it can’t be done," Kotin said.

At the same time, he said that the actions of the occupiers have a negative impact on other plants, in particular, on the Pivdennoukrainska NPP.

"We had a very bad situation right here, at the Pivdennoukrainska NPP, when a blackout led to damage to the turbine generator shaft, bearing, and in fact, very difficult repairs were required there. No one has ever done such a repair, especially in a short time. Our people did it in three weeks. I don’t want to go into details, but they did the impossible," Kotin said, describing the situation.

At the same time, he said that Energoatom is trying to do repairs as quickly as possible to connect generating facilities to the power grid as soon as possible.