The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has requested access to the fuel tanks at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP (ZNPP) in order to independently assess the situation — Ukraine reported damage to the diesel tank, which Russia denies.
This is stated on the departmentʼs website.
On March 27, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Heorhiy Tykhyi reported that a diesel tank was damaged at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant occupied by the Russians — the spilled fuel would be enough to power the plantʼs emergency generators for 25 days.
IAEA noted that they were aware of this news, but when the agency contacted the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP for clarification, they called this information "fake" and said that "no leaks from the fuel tanks were detected".
ZNPP claims that they have "enough fuel in the tanks for at least ten days of operation of their diesel generators".
An IAEA team observed testing of diesel generators at the Zaporizhzhia NPP this week. The tests confirmed that these generators can operate without failures.
Grossi emphasized that the instability of the power supply at ZNPP makes the serviceability of diesel generators extremely important — they must turn on without interruption in the event of another disconnection of the station from external networks.
Due to hostilities, ZNPP has already lost access to external electricity several times, and then it had to use diesel generators to ensure reactor cooling and support other critically important systems.
However, Energoatom explained that the launch of diesel generators will mean the beginning of the countdown to the start of nuclear fuel melting. After all, their resources are limited both in terms of operating time and the availability of diesel fuel. There are 20 emergency diesel generators at ZNPP for six reactors.
The IAEA reported that last Friday the Zaporizhzhia TPP distribution point was reconnected to the ZNPP power grid. This happened a month and a half after the shutdown due to damage to the TPP equipment. Now this line can again provide the plant with backup power.
Situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP
The Russians occupied the Zaporizhzhia NPP in early March 2022, and it has been operating under their control since then. An IAEA mission has been stationed at the station since September 2022. Ukraine insists on the withdrawal of Russian occupiers from the station. President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasizes that as long as Russian soldiers are at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, “the world remains on the brink of nuclear catastrophe”. Russia refuses to create a demilitarized zone at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been on the verge of a blackout several times. Power lines were knocked out due to Russian shelling.
In early March 2025, the Russians sentenced 56-year-old Zaporizhzhia NPP employee Natalia Shulha to 15 years in prison. The woman was accused of “attempted sabotage in collusion with SBU employees”. She was kidnapped in the summer of 2024.
In late March, Russia sentenced ZNPP employee Serhiy Potyng to 19 years in prison for allegedly attempting to blow up a Russian security officerʼs car.
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