#乌克兰: Chernobyl has a risk of leakage after 2 days #Ukrainian statement: The Chernobyl nuclear power plant was completely cut off, and there will be a serious nuclear leak after 48 hours
Today, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kureba and Ukrainian power system operator NPC Ukrenergo both said on social media that at 11 a.m. local time, the only power grid of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant was damaged, and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and its safety system have been completely powered, and can only rely on backup diesel generators to supply electricity.
They also noted that the diesel generator can run for 48 hours without a failure, after which the cooling system of the nuclear reactor will stop, the nuclear radiation leak is imminent, and Russia's military operations against Ukraine mean that repairs to the power supply lines cannot be carried out now.
According to previous sources, today, only the accident-prone Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is still reacting uncontrollably, and it needs to be cooled by cooling circulating water (water cooling system), while the power outage means that the pump of the cooling system stops functioning. In the absence of cooling water, the reactor will overheat, and the high temperature is likely to cause the outer sealed sarcophagus to melt or even cause an explosion, which is bound to cause a serious nuclear leak. The previous Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan was also due to similar reasons, which eventually caused an irreparable nuclear leakage accident.
As for the cause of the power outage in Chernobyl, it is currently said that the situation is in full swing. Although the Ukrainian side accused that it was caused by the attack of the Russian army, there is widespread speculation that the power outage was deliberately done by the Ukrainian side to carry out "nuclear blackmail", because the Russian army that controls Chernobyl will not put its own people at such a high risk. In view of the fact that the Ukrainian side has always had the habit of "exaggerating" the news, many people are skeptical of this news and are waiting for a formal response from the Russian side. （bear）
Figure 1: Diagram of the Chernobyl accident
Figure 2: Sarcophagus on the outer layer of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
Figure 3: The area around Chernobyl today
