Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the biggest in Europe, has lost its last remaining external power source as a result of renewed shelling and is relying on emergency diesel generators, the UN nuclear watchdog said. The International Atomic Energy Agency said the plant’s link to a 750-kilovolt line was cut at around 1am on Saturday.
It cited official information from Ukraine as well as reports from IAEA experts at the site, which is held by Russian forces. All six reactors at the plant are shut down but they still require electricity for cooling and other safety functions.
Plant engineers have begun work to repair the damaged power line and the plant’s generators — not all of which are currently being used — each have sufficient fuel for at least 10 days, the IAEA said. “The resumption of shelling, hitting the plant’s sole source of external power, is tremendously irresponsible,” IAEA director-general Rafael Grossi said in a statement.
