Russians use all energy facilities as a tool of blackmail and intimidation - G. Plachkov

The Russians use all energy facilities, including the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric power station, as a tool of blackmail and intimidation, so you should calculate all possible scenarios and prepare for provocations. This opinion was expressed by Hryhoriy Plachkov, an energy expert and ex-head of the State Atomic Energy Regulatory Commission, in a comment for ExPro.

"It is difficult to calculate the impact of a possible undermining of the dam of the Kakhovskaya HPP on the situation at the Zaporizhzhya NPP. Reservoir, hydraulic structures, hydroelectric power plant is a complex node from a technical point of view. Also, it is difficult to calculate the consequences at the Zaporizhzhya NPP, but you should prepare for all possible risks. It is necessary to prepare for all situations and provocations that may arise. After all, the Russians use all energy facilities, including complex hydroelectric facilities, such as a station, reservoirs, and a dam, as a tool of blackmail and intimidation," said Plachkov.

Also, Hryhoriy Plachkov assumed that the possible destruction of the dam of the Kakhovka Reservoir will affect the level of water needed to ensure the operation of the Zaporizhzhya NPP.

"Until November 9, State Atom Regulation instructed Energoatom to work out all scenarios of possible undermining or destruction of the dam of the Kakhovka reservoir. Such a situation can affect the water level in the reservoir, and the NPP is a fairly large consumer of water. After all, it is impossible to directly take water from the Kakhovka reservoir and drive it into the active zone of the nuclear reactor. This can be done only in the most emergency mode, when the issue of melting of active zones, fuel inside the reactor will arise, and it will be necessary to supply any water, as, for example, was the case at Fukushima," the expert pointed out, adding that before using water for NPP, it must be specially prepared.

"And, of course, there must be enough water for the reactor cooling process to be continuous, because residual heat must be removed even at stopped power units. This is exactly what cooling systems do, the water in which must be of a certain temperature and chemical composition," he added.

Hryhoriy Plachkov emphasized that the aggressor country uses any energy resources, primary and secondary, as a tool of blackmail.

"Everything Russia does is hybrid. With energy, they intimidate the whole world... Russia uses any energy resource, primary or secondary, as a tool of blackmail. None of the shelling is complete without Russian energy workers," said Plachkov.

According to him, the UN Security Council can influence the situation with the Kakhovka HPP, because it can lead not only to an energy crisis, but also to an ecological and humanitarian one.

As reported in ExPro, Energoatom, at the request of the State Atomic Energy Regulatory Commission, is conducting an analysis of the impact of a possible blow-up of the Kakhovskaya HPP dam on the safety of the Zaporizhzhya NPP.