Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant on final power line, IAEA sounds alarm
Photo: Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (Getty Images)
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is temporarily under Russian control, is currently operating on only one external power line, according to Reuters.
Read also: Russian troops launch drones from Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, store weapons on-site
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi says that the Ferosplavna-1 power line failed on February 10. According to him, this was probably caused by military activity.
Now, Europe's largest nuclear power plant, which has six nuclear reactors, is powered by only one line - Dniprovska.
Currently, the ZNPP is not producing electricity, but it needs a constant power supply to cool the nuclear fuel and prevent a disaster.
The IAEA acknowledges that Russian troops are interfering with their work. Grossi notes that the agency's observers, who are permanently stationed at the ZNPP, tried to obtain information about the damage, but were denied access to the distribution substation, citing security restrictions.
Russian occupation of ZNPP
Russia has long been trying to connect the ZNPP to its grid. Recently, Andrei Tyurin, acting head of the Upper Don Directorate of Rostekhnadzor, visited the plant to discuss key operational and safety issues there.
In addition, Russia insists that Ukraine and Russia share the electricity produced by the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
In early February, Moscow rejected a US proposal as part of a peace agreement for Washington to have full control over the ZNPP. This would have given the US the right to distribute energy between Ukraine and Russia.
At the end of December, Ukraine and Russia agreed on a local ceasefire in the ZNPP area, which made it possible to begin repairing the damaged power line.
