Zaporizhia nuclear power plant endangered by total power cut in the city

The alert is given. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on Friday, September 9, a “total power outage” in the Ukrainian town of Enerhodar, where the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is located, a situation which “compromises the safety of operations”.

“The electrical infrastructure supplying the city of Enerhodar (…) was destroyed by the bombing of the starting station of the city’s thermal power plant, causing a total cut of water and electricity”, detailed, in a statement, the Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, informed by the two experts from the UN body present on site.“Given the intensification of the bombardments which are incessant, it is unlikely that it will be possible to restore reliable off-site power to the plant”added the head of the IAEA, who visited the site in early September.

Under these conditions, the Ukrainian operator Energoatom “plans to close the only reactor in operation”, which currently produces the electricity needed to cool the nuclear fuel and secure the site. If necessary, all of the plant’s systems will have to rely on backup generators running on diesel, warns the Vienna-based agency. Furthermore, due to these circumstances “dramatics faced by the inhabitants of Energodar”the personnel necessary to maintain the security of the site may no longer be available.

“It’s totally unacceptable. This can’t go on,” still insisted the director of the IAEAadding that“uA nuclear power station can never be a pawn of war”. He calls to “immediately cease shelling in the area”.

Shelling has caused a complete blackout in #Enerhodar and compromised the safe operation of the nearby #Zaporizhzhya MPN. This must stop & a Nuclear Safety & Security Protection Zone (NSSPZ) agreed immediately. An NPP can never be a pawn of war. https://t.co/jMMf7jk12S pic.twitter.com/7djejJe80G

— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) September 9, 2022