Ukraine’s Zaporizhia NPP (ZNPP) has been without back-up power for more than 10 days, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in his latest update. This leaves the facility entirely dependent on its only remaining 750 kilovolt (kV) line for the external electricity it needs to cool its six reactors and for other essential nuclear safety and security functions.
The IAEA experts stationed at the site reported that the ZNPP expects the 330 kV back-up line to be reconnected soon, but the plant’s off-site power situation remains a source of deep concern, Grossi said. “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,” he added.
“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. In the history of nuclear energy, this is an unprecedented situation and clearly not sustainable. I remain extremely concerned about nuclear safety and security at the plant,” he said.
The ZNPP informed the IAEA experts this week that all scheduled preventative maintenance activities on safety-related equipment are suspended until the 330 kV line is reconnected, except for routine testing of the safety systems, including the emergency diesel generators.
Further underlining the persistent dangers facing the plant, the IAEA team has continued to report the sound of explosions and other indications of military activity in the area, which is on the frontline of the conflict. The experts heard an explosion some distance away from the plant followed by what appeared to be small arms fire close to or on the site.
ZNPP informed the IAEA team that Russian troops had taken measures to “protect the plant” against drones in the area, but that the ZNPP itself had not been attacked and there was no damage or casualties. No further details were immediately available of this incident. The IAEA experts requested access to the area but were told there was no damage to inspect, and that the area was outside the plant’s control.
Earlier, the plant informed the IAEA team that a drone attack had allegedly occurred in Energodar, targeting a roof with telecommunications equipment, the latest in a series of reported drone strikes in the town, where many plant staff live. The following day, the IAEA experts went to Energodar to see the building where the attack purportedly took place. The team was able to observe the outside of the building. No signs of damage were visible at the time of the visit.
Throughout the week, the experts conducted walkdowns across the ZNPP site, including the cooling pond facilities as well as the cooling towers and sprinkler ponds, which provide cooling water for the six reactors, five of which are in cold shutdown and one in hot shutdown. The sprinkler ponds are full and continue to receive cooling water from the 11 groundwater wells which were constructed after the destruction of the downstream Kakhovka dam in mid-2023.
Meanwhile, ZNPP Director Yuri Chernichuk a repair campaign had begun at the NPP starting with unit 1. In accordance with the schedule, the entire complex of repair and restoration work will be completed, he noted. Particular attention will be paid to the repair of all diesel generators and safety equipment to ensure that the unit is in a safe condition. “Annual preventive work will be carried out at all six power units and plant facilities,” Chernichuk said. He added that there is enough personnel and spare parts to complete the entire planned amount of work. Repair of equipment will be carried out by ZNPP by Rosatom’s specialist repair company Atomenergoremont.
