All external power lines supplying electricity to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP ) in Ukraine were down on Friday, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said.
Ukraine has blamed Russian shelling for severing the last power line at the plant, which is not operating but still requires electricity to keep its nuclear fuel cool and radiation levels safe.
The power plant, Europe’s biggest, has switched to running on diesel generators, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.
The IAEA has repeatedly warned of the risk of a catastrophic accident at Zaporizhzhia, which is located near the front line in the war in Ukraine.
Its six reactors are shut down, but the nuclear fuel inside them still needs to be cooled, which requires constant power.
‘Ukraine’s ZNPP lost all off-site power at 17:36 today, 9th time during military conflict and first since late 2023,’ the IAEA said on X.
‘The ZNPP currently relies on power from its emergency diesel generators, underlining (the) extremely precarious nuclear safety situation.’
Ukraine’s energy minister, German Galuschenko, wrote on Telegram that a Russian strike had cut the plant off.
‘The enemy struck the power line connecting the temporarily occupied (Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant) with the integrated power system of Ukraine.’
Hellbound and Down 