VIENNA: The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine currently faces no imminent danger despite being without external power for over a week.
Europe’s largest atomic energy facility lost connection to the grid on September 23, marking its tenth and longest outage since Russia seized the station in February 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation at the plant as critical on Tuesday.
Plant management has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that sufficient fuel reserves remain available for more than ten days of operation.
IAEA head Rafael Grossi stated that emergency diesel generators are currently maintaining safety while acknowledging this arrangement is unsustainable.
“Neither side would benefit from a nuclear accident, and I’m in constant contact with the two sides with the aim to enable the plant’s swift re-connection to the electricity grid,“ Grossi added.
Moscow and Kyiv continue trading accusations about responsibility for attacks on the facility and the latest blackout.
The plant’s six reactors remain shut down after producing approximately one-fifth of Ukraine’s electricity before the war.
Continuous power remains essential for maintaining cooling and safety systems that prevent reactor meltdowns and potential nuclear incidents.
Zaporizhzhia has experienced multiple safety threats since the war began, including frequent shelling nearby, repeated power cuts, and staff shortages.
The power plant sits near Energodar city along the Dnieper river in close proximity to the front lines. – AFP
