Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. IAEA: the process of restoring external power supply to Zaporozhye NPP has been launched Peace and security
The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, announced today the start of the process of restoring external power supply to the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine. Let us recall that access to the power grid was lost as a result of military operations.
According to him, in recent weeks the IAEA has maintained frequent contacts with the Russian Federation and Ukraine, seeking to create conditions for the repair of damaged sections of the Dnieper power transmission line (PTL) and the Ferrosplavnaya-1 power transmission line located on both sides of the line front.
“After intensive consultations, a process has begun that will lead to the restoration of external power supply through the Dnieper line and the Ferrosplavnaya-1 line,” noted Grossi.
“While it will be some time before grid connectivity is fully restored, both sides are engaged in constructive dialogue to achieve this important goal in the interests of nuclear safety and security. No one will benefit from further deterioration of the situation,” he added.
Monitoring the situation at the Zaporizhia NPP
On September 23, the Zaporizhia NPP completely lost its connection to the network for the tenth time since the beginning of the conflict after the last remaining one was damaged 750 kilovolt line. Almost five months earlier, the station had already been disconnected from the 330 kV backup line. Both sides in the conflict said the damage was caused by military action.
For more than two weeks, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant was forced to rely on emergency diesel generators to cool six shutdown reactors and store spent fuel. There are currently seven generators operating at the station, with another 13 in reserve. They are alternated to generate the necessary electricity, including for reactor safety systems.
The IAEA team at the site confirms that temperatures in the reactors and spent fuel pools remain stable, indicating effective cooling. Earlier this week, agency experts conducted an inspection to check the condition of backup generators. The radiation background at the site also remains normal.
Military activities near the nuclear power plant
IAEA observers report ongoing military activity near the plant. On Tuesday evening, they recorded five explosions that occurred near the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant.
The IAEA also continues to receive reports of military activity in the areas of other Ukrainian nuclear power plants – Khmelnitsky, Rivne, South Ukrainian, as well as the Chernobyl facility. At the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant on October 4, 16 drones were recorded approaching within 5.5 kilometers of the site. Slavutich.
As part of the IAEA program to ensure nuclear safety and security, the Khmelnytsky NPP this week received new radiation dosimeters, purchased with financial support from the Czech Republic and Japan. This is the 159th delivery of equipment since the beginning of the conflict, the total value of which reached 20 million euros.