Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in high-risk area due to Russian shelling again

The Russian shelling on September 2 contributed to the increased level of insecurity. It damaged one of the two external overhead lines. Energoatom reports that it is through this line that the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP receives power from the Ukrainian power system to meet its own needs.

"If it is damaged, an emergency will arise due to the loss of external power to the pumps," the company says in a statement.

Energoatom explains that these pumps cool the reactor cores and fuel pools at ZNPP.

"Ukrainian specialists are not yet able to inspect the damage site and start repairing the line, as there is a real threat of repeated Russian shelling," the company says.

Ukrainian specialists will repair the line as soon as they are guaranteed security.

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

Following the occupation of Zaporizhzhia NPP by Russia in March 2022, the situation at the plant remains tense. The plant is under the control of the Russian military, which has raised serious concerns from the international community about the safety of the nuclear facility. NPP personnel continue to work under pressure, with power outages and possible emergencies.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly expressed concern about the safety of the plant and the need to demilitarise the area around it. The main problem faced by representatives of the IAEA mission is that the Russian occupiers do not provide free access to the plant and impede the necessary procedures.

Recently, at a briefing in Zaporizhzhia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that as of today, the return of the station to Ukrainian control is considered only through political means.

Earlier, the IAEA reported that the IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi was scheduled to visit ZNPP this week.