IAEA expresses deep concern over power outages at Zaporizhzhia NPP
Photo: IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi (Getty Images)
The situation with the power supply to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) remains a source of deep concern, according to Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Rafael Grossi noted that this week, the plant lost connection to its only backup power line for 36 hours, highlighting the instability of the energy supply needed to cool the six reactors and perform other critical nuclear safety functions.
The disconnection of the 330 kV power line on Tuesday morning, October 1, once again left the Zaporizhzhia NPP entirely dependent on a single 750 kV line.
Before Russia's full-scale invasion, the plant had four 750 kV lines and six 330 kV lines, underscoring the significant deterioration in nuclear safety since February 2022.
The IAEA reminded that since the start of the full-scale war, Zaporizhzhia has repeatedly suffered partial or complete power outages, one of the most challenging threats to maintaining nuclear and physical safety during the conflict.
The plant has lost external power eight times, forcing it to rely on emergency diesel generators to supply electricity temporarily.
“The off-site power situation remains a deep source of concern. This week’s loss of the 330kV power line shows that the situation is not improving in this regard, on the contrary,” Director General Grossi said.
What preceded
On October 1, following another Russian attack on a main substation, one of the power lines supplying the Zaporizhzhia NPP was cut off, putting the facility on the brink of blackout.
Only the following day were energy workers able to restore the Zaporizhzhia NPP's power line.
