The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant – the largest NPP in Europe – lost all off-site power on Thursday morning, after Russia bombed the area.
IAEA said the blackout happened at the plant after its last remaining 750 kilovolt line was disconnected. Its only remaining back up 330 kilovolt line was damaged a few days ago and is under repair.
As a result all 20 of the site’s emergency diesels generators were activated. The site’s essential power is now being provided by eight of those diesels with the rest now in standby mode. And there is enough diesel on site for 15 days of operation. The two out of six units that were in hot shutdown are moving to cold shutdown.
“Yet again, Zaporizhzhya NPP is running on emergency diesels – the last line of defense. This is the sixth time – let me say it again SIXTH time - that ZNPP has lost all off-site power and has had to operate in this emergency mode. Let me remind you – this is the largest nuclear power station in Europe. What are we doing? How can we sit here in this room this morning and allow this to happen? This cannot go on,” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in a statement.
This is the first time the site has lost all power since 23 November 2022 and follows reports of missile strikes across Ukraine overnight.
At South Ukraine NPP, there are reported losses of power lines but there are sufficient remaining available to provide off-site power if required. The other operating NPPs Khmelnytskyy and Rivne NPPs have not been directly affected though the plants have been managing power levels in accordance with grid requirements. Similarly, there are no reports of Chornobyl NPP being affected.