Heads of state for Great Britain, France, Germany and the United States have on Sunday called for “military self-restraint” around the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhya. This is reported by the AFP news agency. The managers want to have an independent inspection of the power plant carried out. There have been increasingly fierce battles around Zaporizhzhya recently. This has led to fears of another nuclear power plant accident, similar to the one in Chernobyl. Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the attacks. Afraid of a nuclear accident Here at home, students Alva Bønkan Kvam and Vera Carlsen Vatnaland at Sandvika upper secondary school are also worried. They receive many messages on social media about the nuclear power plant in Ukraine. – I’m a little afraid that a nuclear accident will happen. It looks scary. In previous accidents, radioactivity has come with the wind. Ukraine is far away, but not too far away, says Alva Bønkan Kvam. UNSURE OF THE FUTURE: Alva Bønkan Kvam will soon be attending a session. She wonders if the situation is getting so out of control that she too has to go to war. Photo: Hallvard Sandberg / news Can get cancer – We get scared when we see it all the time on social media. Radiation is something that can give you cancer, so it is dangerous, says Vera Carlsen Vatnaland. The two hope that there will not be a nuclear disaster. – We never know what can happen. We don’t know what they are planning. Putin has surprised time and time again, so it is difficult to say, says Vatnaland. THINK IT IS SCARY: Vera Carlsen Vatnaland is afraid that the Russian soldiers will be ordered to destroy the nuclear power plant. Photo: Hallvard Sandberg / news Something can get here The experts who monitor radiation in Norway work in the Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (DSA). They have watched with increasing concern what is happening in Ukraine. – Radioactive substances can come here to Norway, says Ingar Amundsen at DSA. He head of the section for International Nuclear Safety. LARGE PLANT: IN the picture, the six reactors can be seen to the left of the centre. They are the buildings with red roofs. Photo: PLANET LABS PBC / Reuters It is only if the most serious thing happens that something will come all the way from Ukraine. – If an active reactor and the walls around it are completely destroyed through acts of war, large emissions can occur. If the wind and weather are completely wrong in relation to Norway, then some of this could end up with us, says Amundsen. OCCUPIED: A Russian soldier outside one of the reactor buildings. They are rock solid, but can still be destroyed if they come under direct fire or if someone chooses to blow them up. Photo: ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO / Reuters Not dangerous for people The nuclear power plant was occupied by the Russians on 4 March. In the days that followed, many people in Norway bought iodine tablets. The tablets can provide protection against radioactive iodine in the event of nuclear accidents. – We do not envisage that it will be necessary to make recommendations about using iodine or staying indoors. In the most serious case, there may be measures in parts of food production, says Amundsen. EXTREMELY SERIOUS: Head of Section Ingar Amundsen at the Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety. He points out that a nuclear accident in Ukraine that will have some small consequences for us in Norway will be catastrophic for Ukraine. Photo: Hallvard Sandberg / news Safe reactors There are six reactors at the nuclear power plant. They are what the experts call pressurized water reactors. It is of great importance for safety. In the core of the reactor there are many long rods that emit radiation. The radiation goes from rod to rod and leads to more radiation. This is called a chain reaction. The chain reaction leads to the development of heat. It is this heat that is the product of the reactor. The heat is converted into electricity through boiling water, steam, turbines and dynamos. The staves are surrounded by water. This water slows down the speed of the radiation. This brake leads to more chain reactions. If the water disappears due to an accident, almost all chain reactions stop. The reactors are thus naturally secured. HEAVY WEAPONS: Russian state-controlled media have broadcast this image. It should be the tail fin of an artillery rocket. It must have been found at the nuclear power plant. Photo: AP Someone must be doing something wrong – These reactors are relatively modern and have good physical protection, says Ole Reistad. He is head of department at the Department of Energy Engineering. The reactors have a jacket made of thick concrete. Reistad believes it is likely that this cloak will keep the radioactive substances inside in the event of an accident. An accident can occur if the power goes out. It can also happen if the workers have to flee because of the war. THINK THEY ARE SAFE ENOUGH: Head of Department at the Department of Energy Engineering Ole Reistad believes the reactor buildings can withstand most anything. Photo: Hallvard Sandberg / news When things went wrong at the Japanese power plant Fukushima in 2011, the cooling water had disappeared. Because even if the chain reactions stop, there is so much heat left that the fuel rods melt. Such a meltdown can cause the protective sheath to be damaged. – These reactors are much better than those in Fukushima. I choose to believe that the mantle will withstand a meltdown. Someone must intentionally, or by mistake, damage the protective cover, says Reistad.
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Students fear radiation from nuclear power plants – get answers from experts – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
