Being occupied by russians, Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been without back-up power for the past ten days and is entirely dependent on its only remaining 750 kilovolt (kV) line for the external electricity. The plant’s off-site power situation remains a source of deep concern, the Statement of Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) dated March 1 reads.
“Out of a total of 10 off-site power lines available before the conflict – four 750 kV and six 330 kV – only one remains operational today. Even if one back-up line becomes available again, it is far from sufficient,” the IAEA Director General stressed.
Europe’s largest nuclear power plant has suffered eight instances of a complete loss of off-site power in the past 18 months, forcing it to rely on emergency diesel generators, Rafael Grossi accentuated.
“In the history of nuclear energy, this is an unprecedented situation and clearly not sustainable,” he noted.
Ukraine’s Energy Minister German Galushchenko noted that the situation at the russian-occupied ZNPP was getting worse every day.
“The plant has not been operating in the system since September 2022, and the complex equipment of the nuclear power plant should be constantly in operation. However, no work is being done to maintain it, and this leads to degradation. In addition, the issue of end-of-life of nuclear fuel – its further use, offloading and storage – is extremely complex. All these aspects are components of nuclear safety of Ukraine and the whole of Europe,” the Minister said.
In the Statement the IAEA ascertains the persistent dangers facing the plant, the IAEA team continues to report about the sound of explosions and other indications of military activity in the area, which is on the frontline of the conflict.
The IAEA experts present at the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) as well as at the Chornobyl site have reported that nuclear safety and security is being maintained despite the challenging war-time circumstances, including the frequent sound of air raid alarms at some of the facilities. The team at the Khmelnytskyy NPP were required to shelter twice on Wednesday.
Source: kmu.gov.ua