Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant running on diesel generators for over week, raising safety fears

"Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been operating on backup diesel generators since September 23. It is essential to note that neither the generators nor the plant are designed for this mode and have never operated in such a manner for such an extended period. Moreover, we have information that in recent days the Russians even had to repair one of the generators that had failed," she said.

Yukhymchuk emphasized that Ukraine lacks reliable data on the guaranteed operational duration of the generators or their reliability under such a load.

According to the deputy minister, the situation is further complicated by the gradual degradation of the equipment and the inability to carry out scheduled maintenance and regulatory work.

"This significantly increases the risk of generator failure, which could lead to the shutdown of the nuclear fuel cooling system and the disconnection of critical safety systems, and consequently, to the development of a nuclear or radiation accident," Yukhymchuk explained.

On the instructions of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ministry of Energy, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is working with international partners to draw maximum global attention to the situation at the Zaporizhzhia plant.

The Ukrainian side calls on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and partners to take all possible measures to ensure the immediate restoration of the backup power line.

Ukraine is ready to repair this line, provided that safety guarantees are given for its specialists.

Situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

Since September 23, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has experienced its tenth blackout since the start of the full-scale war. According to Energoatom, the last external power transmission line connecting the plant to Ukraine's power grid has failed.

At the same time, Russian forces are obstructing the restoration of the electricity supply. This situation poses a threat of a nuclear accident, which has already drawn the attention of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Currently, the plant is being powered by diesel generators.

Meanwhile, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate has warned that if the external power supply to the plant is not restored, the temperature of the water in the reactors will rise, potentially leading to a nuclear accident.