IAEA chief calls for greater efforts to protect Zaporizhzhya NPP
Kyiv • UNN
Zaporizhzhya NPP temporarily lost connection to the only backup power line due to a short circuit. The IAEA expressed concern about the vulnerability of Europe's largest nuclear power plant.
The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) yesterday lost contact with the only remaining off-site backup power line, putting it once again in a precarious position, dependent on a single power source. Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said this today, reports UNN citing the IAEA.
Details
The IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporozhye (ISAMZ) received information from ZNPP that the 330 kV Ferosplavna-1 standby transmission line was disconnected yesterday due to a short circuit at about 16:00. ZNPP confirmed that the Ukrainian dispatcher put the line on maintenance and that it was reconnected today at 15:30.
The ISAMZ team received information from ZNPP that the cause of the short circuit or possible damage to the line is unknown. The team confirmed that the line has been restored.
The latest shutdown followed reports of military activity in the region and beyond. An IAEA team reported hearing explosions near the ZNPP over the past 24 hours.
“This all too common occurrence of Europe's largest nuclear power plant once again having to rely on only one external source of electricity to maintain its core nuclear safety functions underscores the vulnerability of this major facility,” said CEO Grossi.
“This is not sustainable and it is imperative that increased efforts are made now to comply with the five specific principles to protect the site.
Add
According to the IAEA, ZNPP was connected to its only remaining 750 kV line, Dneprovskaya, at the time of the outage. Prior to the conflict, ZNPP had four 750 kV lines and six 330 kV lines.
