IAEA responses to damage to power line at Zaporizhzhia NPP
Photo: the IAEA responded to the damage to the power line of the ZNPP (Getty Images)
Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have stated that the power line outage at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on August 22 occurred following military activity in the region.
The IAEA mission informed the representatives of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) that on August 22, around 4:00 PM, a short circuit caused the disconnection of the backup 330 kV power line Ferrosplavna 1. The ZNPP confirmed that the Ukrainian dispatcher switched the line to maintenance, and it was restored on August 23 at 3:30 PM.
Representatives of the occupied ZNPP told observers that the causes of the short circuit or any potential damage to the line are currently unknown. However, the IAEA notes that the power outage occurred following reports of military activity in the region.
"This all too often occurrence whereby Europe’s largest nuclear power plant is once again forced to rely on only one external source of electricity to maintain its essential nuclear safety and security functions underlines the vulnerability of this major facility," said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
The IAEA team also reported hearing explosions near the ZNPP over the past day.
Zaporizhzhia NPP on brink of blackout
On August 23, Energoatom reported that on August 22, the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP was on the brink of a blackout. Damage to the external overhead power line PL-330 kV Zaporizhzhia TPP - Ferrosplavna occurred due to Russian shelling.
The ZNPP was connected to the Ukrainian power grid by only one line. Damage to this line could have led to an emergency situation.
Yesterday, Ukrenergo restored the power line to the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
