Ukraine nuclear station has not produced electricity for more than three years
A local ceasefire has been established in the area of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in Ukraine, allowing urgent repairs to power transmission lines to begin, the International Atomic Energy Agency has said.
The agency quoted its director-general Rafael Grossi as saying that crucial power line repairs had begun near the Zaporizhzhia facility following another IAEA-brokered local ceasefire.
The agency said an IAEA team is monitoring repairs expected to last a few days, as part of persistent efforts to prevent nuclear accident during military conflict.
Grossi thanked both sides for agreeing to the new temporary “window of silence” in order to restore power transmission between switchyards of Zaporizhzhia and the Zaporizhzhia thermal power plant, strengthening nuclear safety.
Zaporizhzhia’s six reactors have not produced electricity for more than three years and its six reactors are all shut down. But it still needs electricity to power the pumps used for cooling its reactor cores and spent fuel and to avoid a meltdown with a possible radioactive release.
Last week Grossi said the Khmelnitski and Rivne nuclear power stations reduced their power following widespread military activities affecting energy infrastructure that is vital for nuclear safety and security.
Several electrical substations critical to nuclear safety and security were affected. Substations transform and control voltage levels to ensure reliable power transmission. For nuclear plants, they are indispensable for maintaining secure offsite power supplies that support safety systems and reactor cooling functions.
“Once again, substations were affected by military activities, thus impacting nuclear safety and security. The electrical grid has become increasingly degraded and unstable during the conflict, posing a threat to the safety of the nuclear power plants,” Grossi said.
