The restoration of the backup power line to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) raises concerns due to the instability of the situation, as stated by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. The event occurred after six months during which the plant was cut off from external power supply.
On November 8 at 19:43, the plant was connected to the “Ferosplavna-1” line with a voltage of 330 kilovolts, completing the repair of the second power transmission line. Grossi noted that this is another important step in efforts to prevent a nuclear accident. Two weeks earlier, the “Dniprovska” line with a capacity of 750 kilovolts was restored, ending the period of disconnection of external power to the facility.
Following the loss of all external power on September 23, the IAEA began active cooperation with Russia and Ukraine to restore both power transmission lines. At the same time, Grossi emphasized that the overall situation remains “very unstable” and the IAEA mission in Ukraine is “far from over.” During more than three and a half years of conflict, the facility lost access to external power ten times.
All six reactors at the ZNPP have been shut down for more than three years, but the power station still requires energy to power pumps that provide cooling. Moreover, as a result of an attack on an electrical substation, two operational NPPs in Ukraine – Khmelnytska and Rivne – were forced to reduce electricity production.
It is worth noting that amidst increased tensions, Russia has made allegations about a potential accident at the ZNPP, supposedly involving Ukraine and the West, but Ukrainian official sources have called these claims unfounded.
| Date | Event | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| November 8 | Restoration of “Ferosplavna-1” line | Connected to the system |
| September 23 | Loss of external power at ZNPP | Start of repairs |
| November 6 | Attack on electrical substation | Reduced production at Khmelnytska and Rivne NPPs |
