Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said: “Following intensive consultations, the process leading to the re-establishment of off-site power – through the Dniprovska and Ferosplavna-1 lines – has started. While it will still take some time before the grid connection of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) has been restored, the two sides have engaged with us in a constructive way to achieve this important objective for the sake of nuclear safety and security. No one stands to gain from a further deterioration in this regard.”
External power was lost by the plant – which is on the frontline of Ukrainian and Russian troops – on 23 September, and it has since been relying on its fleet of emergency diesel generators for the power required for essential safety functions, including powering cooling pumps.
Before the war, there were 10 different external power lines to the plant, but that number has fallen since the start of the war in February 2022. Five months ago its last 330 kV backup power line was disconnected, leaving no supply when the sole operational 750 kV power line source was cut.
Both sides blame the damage on military activities and have said that the military situation has stopped them from being able to repair the damage. Grossi has had frequent contact with both sides as part of efforts to find a way forward.
The IAEA’s latest update says: “The focus has been on creating the necessary security conditions for repairs to be carried out on the damaged sections of the 750 kV Dniprovska and the 330 kV Ferosplavna-1 power lines, located on opposite sides of the frontline near the ZNPP.”
It is the tenth time that the plant has lost external power, although on previous occasions it was for a matter of hours rather than the current case of weeks. Seven emergency diesel generators are operating, with 13 on standby.
The IAEA team at the plant report that there has been no temperature increase within the coolant in the reactors or the used fuel pools and radiation levels at the site remain normal. They do continue to hear military action, including on Tuesday evening when they heard “five explosions one after the other, occurring close to the site and shaking windows in their building”.
The six-unit Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been under Russian military control since early March 2022. All its units are shut down.
