- Joined
- Sep 22, 2021
the reactors at zaporizhia aren't rbmk reactors like the ones in chernobyl, they are more modern and safer designs.
if they suffer a loss of coolant situation, you can expect a core meltdown like what happened in america at three mile island, not a complete catastrophe like what happened at chernobyl.
At TMI, they scrambled to problem solve it and managed to turn the cooling back on before the reactor vessel itself melted. Same thing with Fukushima, more or less.
Had it melted, all bets are off, the TMI style containment building is tough but it cannot withstand a huge steam overpressure, nor will it withstand “core on the floor” forever. The Russian designs have never had such good containment.
If experts cannot reach the scene because of bombardment, or the control building is destroyed, or there is simply no power or no water to be had, then you are fucked, it doesn’t matter how advanced the design is, any NPP is a terrifying liability in a warzone.