Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant left isolated from communications for 12 hours, IAEA reports
Photo: IAEA (Getty Images)
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant experienced its longest communication outage since the start of the war, coinciding with reports of increased military activity near Enerhodar, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Zaporizhzhia NPP lost communications for nearly 12 hours
According to the plant, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was left without landline service and internet access for around 12 hours on Wednesday.
The cause of the outage was not immediately established, but the incident occurred simultaneously with reports of attacks near Enerhodar, where most of the plant’s personnel live.
The IAEA stressed that such disruptions create additional nuclear safety risks and complicate monitoring of the situation at the facility.
"For many hours, we were unable to contact our team of experts at the site, and the plant was unable to communicate with the outside world in the usual way. This was clearly a very concerning event in terms of nuclear safety and security. The IAEA team will continue to investigate what caused this communication blackout and discuss how to prevent a recurrence," Rafael Grossi said.
Situation around the plant remains tense
The agency said that in recent days, repeated power supply disruptions caused by military activity had been recorded in the area around the station.
The Zaporizhzhia plant also reported that one of its service vehicles had been damaged by a drone. In addition, drone strikes targeted civilian infrastructure in Enerhodar, including a fire station.
Amid the deteriorating situation, diesel fuel deliveries for equipment maintenance were temporarily suspended.
At the same time, the plant said existing reserves are sufficient to operate emergency generators for more than ten days.
Dependence on a single power line
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is currently receiving external power through only one transmission line after its main line was disconnected back in March.
Before the start of the full-scale war, the facility was connected to ten transmission lines.
Grossi stressed that stable diesel fuel supplies remain critically important for maintaining reactor cooling systems and backup power generation.
"Any disruption to diesel fuel deliveries reduces the plant’s resilience at a time when it is already very vulnerable in terms of external power supplies," the IAEA chief said.
IAEA continues negotiations
The agency continues consultations with Ukraine and Russia regarding a temporary ceasefire around the plant to allow repairs to the 750 kV transmission line.
However, the difficult situation near the frontline is significantly complicating both the repair work and the negotiation process.
Separately, the IAEA reported that around 20 drones had been detected over the Chornobyl site monitoring zone during the past week.
At the same time, the agency continues supplying equipment to support Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, including for the Mykolaiv region.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is currently powered by only one backup transmission line, while the International Atomic Energy Agency is holding talks on a temporary local ceasefire needed to restore damaged power infrastructure.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine had received special equipment from the IAEA for energy workers in the Mykolaiv region, which will help detect emergencies more quickly and improve the reliability of the regional power grid.
