New problems arose at the Zaporozhye NPP

Igor Murashov was detained by a Russian patrol on September 30 while driving home from work to Energodar. The International Atomic Energy Agency turned to the Russian side for clarification. On October 3, it became known that Murashov was free. On the border of the Zaporozhye region, at the checkpoint Vasylivka, he was read the accusation and expelled to the territory controlled by Ukraine. He returned to his family.

“Although it is not entirely clear why this was done,” says Vladimir Kuznetsov. “Earlier, station workers were detained, who aimed Ukrainian artillery at our positions, they face from 10 years in prison to life imprisonment under an article on international terrorism. We are very kind in the case of Murashov, but they do not stand on ceremony with us.

Before being extradited, Murashov said on camera that he had communicated with the SBU, named the name of his curator – Igor Kazemirsky, whom he informed via instant messengers about what was happening at the station.

At the same time, the general director admitted that he was clearly aware that the shelling of the Zaporozhye station was carried out from the side of Ukraine, from the side of the Dnieper, from the cities of Nikopol and Marganets. That shelling damage could lead to emergencies. According to Murashov, he understood that the plant workers were in danger, including during the restoration of the Zaporizhzhya NPP after the shelling.

The representative of the military-civilian administration of the Zaporozhye region, Vladimir Rogov, in turn, said that Murashov did not cooperate with the SBU out of good will, but because of blackmail, including from his employer, the head of the Ukrainian Energoatom.

“The Zaporozhye plant has been controlled by the Russian military since March, but the operation and management of the nuclear power plant all this time was carried out by the former Ukrainian personnel, including Murashov,” says Professor Vladimir Kuznetsov. — There are three “pillars” on which the organization of the safe operation of nuclear power plants relies. These are nuclear fuel, properly selected equipment and the metal from which it is made, as well as qualified operating and maintenance personnel.

Undoubtedly, back in March, it was necessary to rotate the operational personnel. There was no confidence in the station staff. As a result, the first person at the nuclear power plant turned out to be a snitch. Thank God that it did not occur to any of the local workers to arrange sabotage at the nuclear power plant.

Professor Vladimir Kuznetsov is sure that the situation at the station is much worse than it is presented. (After the massive shelling of the ZNPP, for the first time in history, it was completely stopped. All reactors are muffled, the station now does not generate electricity, but, on the contrary, consumes it. — Auth.)

– All these constant switching on and off have a bad effect on the equipment of the reactor plant. The instructions for operating the reactor plant indicate specific figures for the operation of the emergency protection of the reactor. If it is exceeded, the general designer of the reactor plant and its supervisor must give an opinion on the extension of its operation.

The reactor plant is not a TV, it cannot be turned on and off indefinitely. It is necessary to keep a strict record of the number of emergency protection operations and the heating and cooling cycles of the reactor facility. And here the station played tricks for half a year, this is extremely serious. It is also necessary to do something with the storage of spent nuclear fuel, since it cannot be left in this form.

– What is the first thing to be done now?

– The station should be closely dealt with, too many problems have accumulated there. In full swing it is necessary to carry out work related to the extension of the resource. Prepare an appropriate program, determine priorities.

The first block of the Balakovo nuclear power plant and the first block of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant were launched with a difference of a year. Thus, the Balakovo NPP has already carried out the annealing of the reactor pressure vessel, where large-scale work has been launched and carried out to extend the service life of the equipment. The General Designer, General Designer, Scientific Supervisor gave their consent to the continued operation of the station. And in Ukraine there are simply no such organizations.

It is also necessary to restore the training center at the nuclear power plant, which was destroyed as a result of sabotage by Ukraine.

– In order to avoid possible sanctions, including in the international arena, it is necessary, in my opinion, to create another operating organization in Russia, which, using experience and previous developments, will take over the work related to the extension of the resource, modernization, training of personnel, and will also deal with the organization of the physical protection of nuclear power plants.

There has already been a precedent. For example, the Leningrad nuclear power plant was not part of the Rosenergoatom concern for 10 years, it was a separate division. And everything was fine, the station was operated, repairs were carried out, and personnel were trained. It is possible to follow this path in order to get Rosatom out of the impact of possible sanctions.

Professor Kuznetsov draws attention to the fact that American nuclear fuel is used at the Zaporozhye station, which must be removed from harm’s way.

— Fuel, unequivocally, it is necessary to change. (Ukraine, having refused Russian suppliers, switched to American fuel for nuclear power plants. Even the threat of accidents did not stop the Ukrainian authorities due to the incompatibility of fuel assemblies from the United States with Soviet reactors. And the fact that they will have to pay more: American fuel is more expensive than Russian. — Auth.)

“Now the Americans, through their company Westinghouse, will undoubtedly raise a cry. Imagine, 6 Ukrainian power units out of 15, and this is almost half, will lose American fuel. The United States is now furious about this, as they are losing the sales market.

Read the material “Strange nuances have appeared in the history of the director of Zaporozhye NPP”