The Ukrainian nuclear energy operator said Thursday that a Russian strike left the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant without electricity. It is now running on diesel generators.
During a new wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine, which killed at least nine people and cut power across the country, this happened.
“Rocket attacks cut off the last power line between the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP and the Ukrainian power system,” Energoatom said.
The plant’s owner said it was the sixth time since Russian forces took over the plant last year that it had been cut off from the power grid.
Energoatom also said that the plant is powered by diesel generators, which can keep the plant running for 10 days.
“The timer has started. If the station can’t get new power from the outside during this time, there could be a radiation accident that affects the whole world “Energoatom said.
Russian officials who run the plant said that diesel generators had been turned on because of a “short circuit” on the power lines, but they didn’t say what that meant.
In a statement, they said, “There are enough fuel reserves to keep generators running.” They also said that all safety and security issues at the plant were in order.
The plant was taken over by troops from Moscow on March 4, 2022, just a few days after they invaded Ukraine.
Moscow and Kyiv have both said that the other has fired shells near Zaporizhzhia, which has the biggest nuclear plant in Europe.
In September, the IAEA, which is part of the UN, sent observers to the plant and is trying to negotiate a demilitarised zone near the plant, but talks seem to have stopped.
