DistantNews
Support us
IAEA: Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Again Loses External Power Supply
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Energy & Infrastructure

IAEA: Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Again Loses External Power Supply

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has lost external power for the 20th time since the Russian invasion began.
  • Emergency diesel generators activated to maintain essential safety functions, including reactor cooling.
  • The IAEA stressed the precarious nuclear safety situation and the vital need to restore the plant's connection to the power grid.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine has again lost its external power supply, marking the 20th such incident since Russia's invasion began in February 2022. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), headquartered in Vienna, reported the outage on Saturday.

The latest power loss is attributed to an issue affecting the Ferrosplavna-1 330-kilovolt connection, which was the only remaining available line. IAEA experts stationed at the plant, Europe's largest nuclear facility currently under Russian control, confirmed that emergency diesel generators automatically activated to provide backup electricity for reactor core cooling and other critical safety operations.

The loss of 'external power supply for the twentieth time during the military conflict underscores once again the precarious nuclear safety situation on the ground.

— Rafael GrossiIAEA Director General Rafael Grossi commented on the repeated power loss at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, emphasizing the ongoing safety risks.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi highlighted the repeated loss of external power, stating it "underscores once again the precarious nuclear safety situation on the ground." Despite the plant's six reactors being in a technical shutdown and no longer generating power, a constant electricity supply is essential for cooling the nuclear fuel, which continues to generate residual heat.

Meanwhile, efforts to repair the plant's main 750 kV Dniprovska line, disconnected for three months, are ongoing under a temporary local ceasefire mediated by the IAEA. Grossi emphasized the "vital importance" of strengthening Zaporizhzhia's grid connection as part of efforts to prevent a nuclear accident.

the importance vital of strengthening Zaporizhzhia's connection to the electrical grid

— Rafael GrossiIAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stressed the critical need to improve the power supply link to the Zaporizhzhia plant to prevent accidents.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog