IAEA: External power supply has begun to be restored at the Zaporizhzhia NPP

The process of restoring external power supply has begun at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).

This was reported by the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi.

“After intensive consultations, a process has begun leading to the restoration of power supply outside the facility — via the Dniprovska and Ferosplavna-1 lines,” Grossi said. These lines connect the plant to the Ukrainian power grid.

Grossi added that it will take some time to restore power, but both Ukraine and Russia are "cooperating constructively" with IAEA.

IAEA added that the Chornobyl NPP still does not have access to the 330 kV power line. It was disconnected on October 1 due to a Russian attack on the power substation in Slavutych.

What is happening at ZNPP?

On September 23, Russian military forces once again damaged the power line that supplied the power plant with power from the Ukrainian grid. That day, at 4:56 PM, the last power line that supplied the plant with power from the Ukrainian grid was disconnected. This is the tenth and longest blackout at the plant since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.

The plant is forced to operate on diesel generators due to the loss of external power supply. Currently, seven generators are operating, and another 13 are on standby. This creates a critical situation that threatens the nuclear safety of not only Ukraine, but also European countries.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said that Russia could have deliberately disconnected the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant from power supply, preparing to connect it to its own energy system.

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