The last unit operating unit at the six-unit Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in Ukraine was shut down at 03.41 local time on 11 September (Sunday), state operator Energoatom said.

According to Energoatom’s Telegram account, preparations were underway for Unit 6’s cooling and transfer to a cold shutdown state, a process which can take about 30 hours.

The station has been operating in “island mode” for several days, using Unit 6 to generate electricity for crucial cooling systems.

The facility, the largest nuclear station in Europe, was disconnected from the grid last week after all its power lines were disconnected as a result of fighting in the area and shelling which Energoatom has blamed on Russian forces.