Employees of the Khmelnytskyi fish protection patrol during a raid discovered a mass plague of aquatic biological resources in the cooling reservoir of the Khmelnytskyi NPP. According to the Khmelnytsky fish protection patrol, almost one and a half thousand fish died there. Total damages amount to more than 2 million hryvnias.

"Specialists of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consemer Protection (SSUFSCP) were called to the scene. They jointly conducted an inspection of the Khmelnytsky NPP cooling reservoir. As a result of the survey, the death of almost one and a half thousand fish: crucians, perch, carp was recorded", the report says. Experts took water samples on the spot. What caused the death of the fish will be known after the results of laboratory tests, the institution noted.

In its statement on this matter, the Khmelnytsky NPP reported that it is operating normally, there are no deviations from normal operation, and the mode of operation of the cooling reservoir is carried out strictly in compliance with the relevant regulations and current regulatory documents.

As KhNPP reported, "in order to find out the circumstances and reasons for the death of fish (silver crucian carp, the reproductive part of this species), on May 14 and 15, 2024, specialists of the affiliate "SS KhNPP" JSC NNEGC "Energoatom" carried out an inspection of the technological reservoir-cooler and its coastline, as well as a survey of the bed of the Gnylyi Rig River (a tributary of the cooling reservoir). Water samples, samples of aquatic bioresources and bottom sediments were taken for conducting relevant research". KhNPP reported that the result is expected after their implementation.

In addition, the Khmelnytsky NPP sent relevant requests to leading scientific institutions in the field of fisheries and hydrobiology to find out the possible causes and eliminate the possible consequences of the deterioration of the habitat of aquatic biological resources. "Necessary measures are being taken to prevent the occurrence and elimination of situations that may cause the deterioration of the conditions for the existence of aquatic biological resources", the press release states.

According to the KhNPP, the presence of dead fish in the bed of the Gnylyi Rig River may indicate external factors related to economic activity in the basin of the Gnylyi Rig River, and the existing state of the cooling reservoir is consequential.

In addition, experts of the nuclear power plant do not exclude that the cause of the negative impact on the spawning of the crucian carp and, accordingly, the death of the reproductive part of this fish species may be fluctuations in the atmospheric air temperature, which in April reached peak indicators during metrological observations.