The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) has been reconnected to the last 750 kV power line after the third outage in 10 days.
This was reported by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi.
"IAEA experts present at the ZNPP were informed by Ukrainian personnel that power was restored at 21:30 local time yesterday (October 18), almost 18 hours after the line was disconnected by a system that automatically takes steps when the voltage drops too much low," says the message.
The IAEA calls the shutdown a sign of how unstable the security situation at Europeʼs largest nuclear power plant is.
During the two previous outages, on October 8 and 12, the stationʼs safety needs for electricity were provided by diesel generators.
“However, yesterday the ZNPP continued to receive power from the external 330 kV line, which supplies power through a backup system that was restored late last week. After the latest reconnection of the 750 kV line, ZANP now has access to both lines, although the power situation remains unstable,” the CEO Grossi noted.
- On October 17, the Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko informed that after the morning shelling by the Russians, the Zaporizhzhia NPP was again de-energized. Since March 4, the Zaporizhzhia NPP and the satellite town of Energodar ZNPP have been under the occupation of Russian troops. Russia refuses to create a demilitarized zone around the ZNPP, as proposed by the UN.