A Ukrainian nuclear plant is facing a water shortage

A Ukrainian nuclear plant is facing a water shortage, putting more strain on the facility, which has been under Russian occupation.

The backstory: The dam holding back the Kakhovka Reservoir, used by the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station for cooling water, was destroyed June 6, and the water level has dropped over 20 feet.
* The plant has already experienced power failures, fires, and shelling during the occupation.

Current situation: The facility has its own two-mile-wide cooling pond with water levels remaining stable, and the International Atomic Energy Agency believes the water should last for several months.
* All six reactors are currently shut down, and alternative water sources, such as wells and mobile pumps, are being considered.

Concerns: With a dwindling workforce due to the occupation, some experts are worried about the ability to set up alternative systems in time to prevent potential radioactive release or permanent damage to the reactors.
* However, there is not enough heat to cause a catastrophic meltdown like the one at Chernobyl in 1986.

View original article on NPR

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