Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, Zaporizhzhia, experienced another loss of external power, prompting the IAEA to issue a statement on the escalating nuclear safety risks.
Power Loss and Emergency Systems
The loss of external power, once again, highlights the nuclear safety risks during conflict, according to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. The plant activated reserve power sources based on diesel generators.
Power supply to the plant was restored after 90 minutes. During the outage, the plant relied on its reserve power systems powered by generators. IAEA experts on-site continue to monitor the situation.
Repeated Disruptions and Calls for a Safety Zone
This was the 13th instance of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant being disconnected from external power since the start of Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine. IAEA representatives are in talks with both sides of the conflict regarding a new local ceasefire to facilitate repairs to another power line.
Previous Incidents and Negotiations
A similar incident occurred on March 24th, when the plant lost connection to the key Dnieprovska 750kV transmission line, leaving only one backup line. The IAEA Director General then announced the start of negotiations for a local ceasefire.
Plant Status and Operational Needs
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been under Russian military occupation since March 2022 and is not currently producing electricity. It relies on external power to maintain the proper temperature of the nuclear material.