LONDON

- Since the start of the Russian war, the world has put a hand on his heart, especially with every news of clashes taking place near one of the nuclear plants scattered in Ukraine.

A few days ago, a nuclear disaster almost occurred when a fire broke out in the vicinity of the Zaporozhye plant, which is the largest nuclear plant in Europe.

Fears remain of any leakage or explosion near these stations, which could cause an unprecedented humanitarian and environmental catastrophe.

Suffice it to say that the nuclear leak that occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in northern Ukraine in 1986, its effects reached British territorial waters.

There are dozens of nuclear power stations in Europe with a huge capacity to produce energy, the largest in size is in Ukraine, and the most numerous in number are distributed in France.


Biggest reactor

The Zaporozhye reactor is the largest nuclear reactor in Europe, and the fifth largest in the world. When it was established, it was able to provide an energy of 5,700 megawatts, before it developed and became within 6 thousand megawatts.

This reactor consists of 6 units, each of which produces 1,000 megawatts, and was built between 1984 and 1995.

This plant is operated by the State Nuclear Energy Corporation of Ukraine and provides a fifth of the country's electricity needs.

Areva nuclear plant near Cherbourg, western France (Reuters)

'Pride' of France

France has the largest number of nuclear plants in Europe, with 56 plants, the largest of which is "Gravelines", which is the second largest in Europe.

The production capacity of this reactor is 5706 megawatts, and it is the sixth largest nuclear reactor in the world.

This plant is located in the north of France, and it consists of 6 power production units, and was built between 1980 and 1985.

It is operated by the French Electricity Company, the country's largest supplier of this energy.

"Balwell" station

The Paluel plant is considered the seventh largest nuclear plant in the world, and the second in France in terms of its production capacity. It is spread over an area of ​​160 hectares near the sea channel between France and Britain, and it uses the canal waters for cooling.

The production capacity of this station is 5528 MW, distributed over 4 units, each of which produces 1300 MW.

Work began on the construction of this station in 1977, and two units were completed in 1984, before the third and fourth works were completed in 1985.


Katnum station

The Cattenom reactor is the fourth largest nuclear plant in Europe. It is also located in France. It is operated by the French Electricity Company. It has a production capacity of 5,200 megawatts, a capacity close to the "Balwell" plant.

This station consists of 4 power generators, each one producing 1,362 megawatts, and the construction work took 8 years from 1979 to 1987, before the fourth generator was connected in 1991.

This facility uses water from the Moselle River, and the plant underwent extensive maintenance in 2019.

A nuclear reactor under construction at a nuclear power plant near Bridgewater, Britain (Reuters)

future station

The Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in Britain was one of the plants that sparked a lot of controversy during its construction, due to the opposition of environmentalists.

The production capacity of this plant is 3200 megawatts, and it consists of two nuclear reactors, and it is considered among the 8 stations that the British government announced in 2010 its desire to build.

According to the estimates of the EDF company, which is in charge of constructing this station, it is expected to enter service in 2026 at a cost of between 24 and 26 billion dollars.


Stations all over Europe

Nuclear plants are spread in various European countries, and France is considered to have the largest number of them with 56 nuclear plants, and one is under construction.

The total production capacity of all these plants is 61,300 megawatts, and they provide 78% of France's electricity needs.

Ukraine owns: 15 nuclear plants, producing a total of 13,100 megawatts, and Britain: 15 nuclear plants, in addition to two plants under construction, producing a total of 8900 megawatts.

As for Germany, it has: 6 nuclear plants, producing 8100 MW, and Belgium: 7 nuclear plants, producing 5930 MW.

In general, there are 138 nuclear plants in Europe, and if the Russian nuclear plants (38 plants) are added to it, the total will reach 176 nuclear plants.