Water leakage from the fifth power unit at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
Water leakage from the fifth power unit at ZNPP (Photo: GettyImages).
A leak of borated water from the coolant system of the first circuit of the fifth power unit happened in the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is currently under Russian occupation. No radiation was detected in the second cooling circuit where the leak occurred, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
According to them, the experts were informed that boron was found in the secondary cooling circuit of one of the steam generators of reactor unit No. 5, which is currently in a state of "hot shutdown".
"Borated water is used in the primary coolant to help maintain nuclear safety," the statement said.
The inspection found that the boron levels in the second cooling circuit were within normal limits and no radioactivity was discovered. The Russian officials chose to maintain unit 5 in a state of "hot shutdown," and plan to revise the decision after all the boiler houses in the neighboring city of Energodar begin operating.
Situation at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP)
As a reminder, Energoatom reported on November 16 that due to the actions of unauthorized personnel at ZNPP Unit 5, there has been a continual leakage of reagents from the first circuit to the second.
A partial blackout occurred at the plant on November 14, resulting in the de-energization of ZNPP Unit 6. Subsequently, diesel generators and safety systems were launched and the unit operated in this mode for 90 minutes.
It was previously reported by the Ministry of Energy that the situation at ZNPP was deteriorating, and Ukraine's Minister of Energy, Herman Galushchenko, disclosed that the plant had been out of service for over a year.
