The facility in southern Ukraine has restored its last remaining backup power line under a temporary ceasefire arranged with the International Atomic Energy Agency,the IAEA said. The restoration reduces the immediate risk of a power loss that could compromise cooling at the six shutdown reactors, the agency said.
IAEA oversight and safety principles
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said agency teams oversaw repairs carried out by Ukrainian technicians at the front line after unexploded ordnance was cleared from the area. The plant is now connected to both a 750-kilovolt main line and a 330-kilovolt backup line, restoring redundancy in off-site power supplies.
Grossi noted that this was the fourth temporary ceasefire around Zaporizhzhya to enable work on damaged power infrastructure. He called on both sides to adhere to what he has termed Five Concrete Principles to prevent a nuclear accident at the occupied facility.
Background and ongoing risks
Zaporizhzhya, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, has been on the front line of fighting since the early stages of the full-scale invasion and has repeatedly lost off-site power because of nearby military activity. When the 330-kilovolt backup line was damaged on Jan. 2, the plant relied solely on its 750-kilovolt main line to power essential cooling and safety systems, heightening concern over a potential blackout.
Winter conditions and site inspections
Winter conditions are adding pressure to site safety. With all reactors shut down, less residual heat reaches the cooling and sprinkler ponds, increasing the risk of ice formation that could interfere with water circulation. IAEA experts reported significant ice formations on sprinkler pond fountain pipes during a Sunday walkthrough, but a follow-up inspection found the ice had disappeared and confirmed that all 11 groundwater wells remain operational.
The IAEA team continues regular inspections of reactor buildings, turbine halls and emergency diesel generators at the site, the IAEA said.
Elsewhere in Ukraine, IAEA monitor teams have reported drone activity near the South Ukraine and Chornobyl sites, as well as damage to a critical substation that temporarily cut power to Chornobyl and one other nuclear plant.
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