IAEA "Ukraine Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Restart Plan... Suspended Due to Shelling Damage"

Secretary-General Grossi to Visit Moscow Early This Week

IAEA inspection team examining shelling traces at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Plans to restart one reactor at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe located in Ukraine, have been halted due to repeated shelling damage.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced on the 8th (local time) in a statement that a shell fell near the Zaporizhzhia plant the previous day, damaging a 750kV power line connected to the plant. A transformer at the thermal power plant in Enerhodar, a city near the nuclear plant, was also damaged, causing power outages for local residents.

A day before this shelling, there were reports that a 150kV external power line connected to the plant was also damaged by shelling. Due to the successive damage to power lines, the Zaporizhzhia plant is currently supplying electricity to the reactors using emergency diesel generators. Although all six reactors at the Zaporizhzhia plant are currently shut down, power supply is still necessary to maintain minimum safety functions. The IAEA also reported that plans to restart Reactor 5 among the six reactors that have stopped operation have been suspended until the power lines are restored.

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, expressed regret, stating, "Shelling the only external power supply connected to the nuclear plant is extremely irresponsible." Director General Grossi plans to visit Moscow, Russia, early this week to discuss establishing a demilitarized safety zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant area.