Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant (ZNPP) is once again receiving electricity directly from the national grid after engineers repaired one of the four main external power lines that have all been damaged during the conflict, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) learnt at the site today.
The restored 750 kilovolt (kV) line is now providing Europe’s largest nuclear power plant – whose last operating reactor was shut down on 11 September – with the electricity it needs for reactor cooling and other essential safety functions. After the ZNPP lost the connection to the same 750 kV line two weeks ago, it first relied on electricity produced by the plant itself and then on back-up power lines linking it to the grid through the electrical switchyard of a nearby thermal power plant.
With the main line’s re-connection yesterday afternoon, the three back-up power lines are again being held in reserve. The three other main external 750 kV power lines that were lost earlier during the conflict remain down. All the ZNPP’s six reactors are in a cold shutdown state, but they still require power to maintain necessary safety functions. Since 5 September, the plant has not been providing any electricity to households, factories and others relying on it for their needs.