© IAEA IAEA staff at Zaporizhia NPP. (Archive) IAEA: Zaporozhye NPP has been operating for seven weeks on a single backup power line Peace and security
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Thursday that the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been dependent on a single external backup power line for more than seven weeks. The Agency continues to negotiate with Ukraine and the Russian Federation on a temporary, localized ceasefire necessary to allow critical repairs to take place.
The main power supply line of the Zaporizhia NPP, Dneprovskaya, was disconnected on March 24. Since then, the plant has lost external power three times. Chernobyl zone. Over the past 24 hours, IAEA teams have recorded more than 160 incidents of drones flying in close proximity to nuclear facilities.
“Any military activity in the vicinity of nuclear facilities significantly increases the risk of a nuclear accident,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, again calling on parties to exercise maximum restraint and fully implement the Seven Principles of Nuclear Safety and protection.
Access to Energodar is limited
The situation around the Zaporizhia NPP remains extremely unstable. Due to security threats, on Monday, after a previous unsuccessful attempt, the IAEA team was again unable to reach the city of Energodar for the planned weekly resupply.
IAEA staff at the Chernobyl plant, as well as at the Khmelnytsky and Rivne nuclear power plants were forced to take refuge in a shelter from Tuesday to Thursday. The team at the South Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant reported sounds indicating fighting near the facility.