Russian forces have taken control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is the biggest nuclear power facility in Europe. This situation has led to an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to address the developments at the plant.
About Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Powerplant
- It is located on the banks of the Dnieper river, just 200 kilometers from the conflicted Donbas region where Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces have been fighting.
- Zaporizhzhya is one of the four operating NPPs in the country and has been operating since 1984. It accounts for about 40% of the total electricity generated by all the Ukrainian NPPs and one-fifth of Ukraine’s annual electricity production.
- The Zaporizhzhya NPP consists of six Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) units commissioned between 1984 and 1995, with a gross electrical capacity of 1,000MW each.
International Atomic Energy Agency
- Back in 1957, a group called the “Atoms for Peace” was born as part of the United Nations. Over time, it evolved into an organization with a mission to promote peaceful and safe use of nuclear technologies.
- This group is based in Vienna and reports to two important bodies: the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council.
- They team up with countries around the world and various partners to make sure nuclear technologies are used safely and for peaceful purposes. No military stuff, especially no nuclear weapons!
- In 2005, they got a big thumbs-up by winning the Nobel Peace Prize. It was a nod to their efforts in making the world a safer and more peaceful place.
- Their main gig is to encourage using nuclear energy for peaceful things, like power, and put the brakes on anyone thinking about using it for military reasons, especially making nuclear weapons. They’re all about a world where nuclear tech is a force for good.
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