The world, which today is changing so dynamically, multipolarly and undergoing processes that our history has not gone through for almost a century, is very close to various literally explosive situations. For example, today's atomic technologies provide us with elementary energy needs. If something unexpected happened, how would we react? Yes, people are rightly worried about their safety. According to the World Nuclear Association (WNA), there are now 436 nuclear reactors in operation in 31 countries around the world. No one sensible wishes for any accident or tense situation around nuclear power plants. Unfortunately, there is a direct military conflict taking place in the vicinity of one such plant. It is in the vicinity of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZAE). And so we decided to approach its CEO, Mr. Yuri Chernichuk.
Tell us, how is your Zaporozhye nuclear power plant working now? What mode is it operating in? How much electricity are you producing? What is your potential and your reserves? At the same time, what is the sufficient number of specialists in these professions at the highest professional level?
Thank you very much. You asked one question, but there are five more in this question. Let's take them in order. At the moment, our station is operating normally. All the conditions and limits for safe operation prescribed for this state of the plant and for this state of the power units are being observed. As you know, the Zaporozhye power plant, which is the largest power plant in Europe, has six power units, each with a capacity of 1 000 megawatts. These are units of Soviet design, similar to those used in the Czech Republic, Hungary and a number of other countries. Five of these units are currently in a cold state. In addition, the circuit is empty. The temperature of the water that cools the reactor is no higher than 70 degrees. And one unit, to date, Unit 4, is in a hot state. And why are we doing this?
The power plant has so-called auxiliary steam needs that need to be met. In order to produce this steam, we keep one of the six units in a hot shutdown state so that it can produce steam to meet its own needs. That's the configuration we have today. With regard to the power supply scheme of the plant, as you know, since 11 September last year, our plant has not been operating in power generation mode. This means that for more than a year it has only been drawing electricity. At present, electricity is supplied to our power plant from Ukraine via two communication lines that connect our power plant with the Ukrainian power system. What else did you ask?
Do you have enough manpower at the necessary professional level, and how many workers do you have?
Yes, we have enough staff. Look, in terms of technical provision of the station with inventory, we have everything in the necessary quantity. The station is ready to fix any malfunctions and defects on the equipment if they occur. We have a sufficiently large and complete set of spare parts to carry out this work. So we do not see any problems in this respect at the moment. As far as the number of qualified employees is concerned, we have talked about this many times. A few days ago it was exactly one year since our operating organisation, the joint stock company 'Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant', was established. And since the first day of its establishment, we have been recruiting personnel to work in our power plant. Currently we have more than 4000 employees. Employees of all qualification levels, i.e. starting with me, the director of the power plant, the top management, up to the engineering-technical staff, worker staff, repair and maintenance services.
All these services are staffed and the process is ongoing. We currently have more than 1,000 job applications being reviewed by our HR department. And it should be noted that many people come to us even from quite distant regions, send their CVs and express interest in working at our station. We are also very intensively recruiting young professionals from universities, so we are doing well in this respect. Staffing is going well despite the difficulties that have accompanied us in this period, and today we have no problems with maintaining the equipment and keeping the station in a safe condition.
At the moment, there are military actions taking place very close to your plant and there are some attacks on the plant. I would like to ask whether the plant is sufficiently secure against attacks? Your comments on these events.
I understand the question. Take a good look. No nuclear power plant in the world was originally designed to have any hostilities in and around it. So the situation that took place over a year ago is really nonsensical and should not have happened. But since it happened, the plant has been repeatedly shelled during this period, and we have seen damage and destruction of some communications and systems. Our staff responded to these situations with complete selflessness and honour. We repaired the damage and restored the destroyed and damaged elements of the facility. As far as providing security against assault, well, there is no defense against a direct shotgun blast, except, of course, against strong walls. We understand that very well. And our reactors, the most vulnerable parts of our facilities, are protected by these thick concrete walls, so... if you try to do that - everything in the world is vulnerable. But the reactors and the fuel are protected from some accidental shot. As for security against possible attacks, special units of the Russian armed forces protect our station. And there are enough resources to protect us. So I'm not particularly worried that the station could be overrun or anything like that. This means that we are reliably and safely protected in our facility.
You have a team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where the Director General is an Argentine, Mr Rafael Grossi. I would like to ask how is your cooperation going? Are they really being provided with all the information? All the answers to their questions? And how are they helping to protect the safety of the nuclear power plant in this situation that your plant is in?
Last year, on the first of September, the IAEA Director Mr. Grossi visited our plant with a large team of his staff and experts. And since that day, the twelfth rotation of experts has been taking place for the twelfth month... Every day, the Agency's experts are constantly on the territory of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant. If they cooperate... Well, I will say right away that they are practically our friends, we are in close contact with them. Understand, we have been communicating with the experts every day for a little over a year. We have our rules of communication. There are regulations for our interaction, for their activities that they carry out on the territory of our station.
So the main task assigned to them by the UN and international agencies is to observe and monitor the security status of our station. We are in constant contact with them as part of these tasks. The management of our plant and the management of our operating organisation have repeatedly declared the fact that we consider the presence of the mission at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant to be very important. And I always say that this agency is probably the only independent one today. To date, since 22 March last year, I have received the 186th Stateman statement on the state of our plant. These publications basically reflect the real picture that the experts see on the ground, the condition of the facilities, the equipment and the personnel that we have. Therefore, I have no comments on the work of the mission and I hope that the agency can say the same about the Zaporozhye station. This is therefore a very fruitful mutual cooperation, the aim of which is only to ensure security. Again, I repeat that it is aimed at informing the entire world community about the real situation that is taking place here on the station.
Am I correct in understanding that there is now a regular rotation of staff at the International Atomic Energy Agency? I know that there were some problems in the beginning. Previously, the visit was delayed, but now the rotation of this visit is normal?
Well, the rotation has always been normal. Our party and the agency's party have made every effort to ensure that this rotation takes place regularly. But because the rotation takes place across the line of contact between the parties, there have been occasional cases, very rare, but there have been cases where there have been some technical difficulties in carrying out this rotation. But in principle, this process is normal, it is fruitful, it is well established and all the participants know their role in carrying out this rotation.
The Zaporozhye power plant was built using technologies from the Soviet era. At that time, many power plants were being built all over Europe. But now I want to ask a technical question. What are the risks of fuel from other than Soviet technology? Are there any risks? I do not know whether the two technologies can be combined, since they are different technologies.
I get it. Look, you said, correctly, that the Dukovany power station and our station in Zaporozhye were built in the same period, and many of the stations that are now on the territory of Ukraine and on the territory of the Russian Federation were built at a time when our countries were cooperating within the framework of an organisation called the 'Council for Mutual Economic Assistance to the USSR'. If you remember?
Yes, I remember.
Our stations were built as part of this process. Therefore, in principle, the stations in Dukovany and Záporoží do not differ much in design. And as regards the use of fuel from two producers that you are talking about, yes, the Zaporozhye station now has this practice of using fuel. As far as I know, this practice also exists at other stations in Ukraine. And I think it is also at some European stations. So if there are quality products and qualified experts, anything can be used. So in this respect I think there should be no big problems. Although, of course, it should be correct to run one manufacturer's fuel. Each country, each operator should decide what fuel to use, what is better and safer for them.
Thank you very much, Mr Director, for your answers, for your time, for your work. We all sincerely hope that there will be no attacks and that all tensions will soon be over.
I thank you for the interest you have shown in us. I think it is very important. I am almost certain that peace will come very soon and that we will live in very different conditions, so that everything will be all right with us. And from me a big greeting to your readers and listeners.
(Tom Bell - gnews.cz/JAV)
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