'Serious incident' at Ukraine power plant as 'Chernobyl 2' nuclear accident fears soar

A serious incident has been declared at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as the International Atomic Energy Agency warns of the risk of “nuclear accident.” The warning is likely to revive fears of a “second Chernobyl” at Europe’s largest nuclear power station, which has repeatedly been caught in the crossfire since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier this year, experts warned that attacks near Ukraine’s nuclear infrastructure could trigger a disaster on a scale comparable to the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe. Ukrainian electronic warfare expert Serhiy Beskrestnov warned that missiles had landed within hundreds of metres of nuclear reactors and said: “A miss by an Iskander or Kinzhal [missile] could turn into a second Chernobyl.” The latest alarm came after the UN nuclear watchdog said it had been informed of a “serious incident” during today’s de-mining phase of an agreed localised ceasefire near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), in which some Russian military personnel were injured.

The incident occurred as efforts were underway to clear mines and repair a key power line serving the facility.

While the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation, Ukraine has informed the IAEA that it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement brokered by the agency after weeks of negotiations with Russia.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi called for “maximum military restraint and full adherence to the ceasefire so that the power line repairs can proceed as planned in coming days”, adding that they are “crucial for efforts to prevent a nuclear accident at the ZNPP”.

The urgency of the repairs was underlined by another loss of off-site power at the plant today – the 18th such event since the war began.

The ZNPP was forced to switch to emergency diesel generators after its sole remaining external power line, the 330 kilovolt (kV) Ferosplavna line, was disconnected following reported attacks on two electrical substations across the Dnipro River.