Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been reconnected to the grid following repairs made under a localized ceasefire brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The plant had lost all off-site power for nearly three days.
The reconnection of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to the grid is a critical development for nuclear safety amid the ongoing conflict, reducing the risk of a potential nuclear incident.
Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been reconnected to the national grid after a localized ceasefire, brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), allowed for repairs. The plant had lost all off-site power for nearly three days.
The 750-kilovolt Dniprovska transmission line linking the Russian-occupied plant to Ukraine's grid has been repaired, though work continues on the Ferosplavna 330-kilovolt backup line that runs through Russian-held areas. The IAEA described the return of off-site power as a "key step for nuclear safety."
Russian and Ukrainian forces established special ceasefire zones for the repairs, marking a rare instance of cooperation. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that both sides engaged constructively with the agency to enable the repair plan. He also noted that emergency diesel generators, the "last line of defense," have become an "all too common occurrence" at the plant.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukrainian energy workers have repaired the plant's power lines 42 times. During this period, the facility lost external power and had to rely on emergency diesel generators on 10 occasions. The plant, though not in service, requires consistent power to cool its six shutdown reactors and spent fuel to prevent catastrophic nuclear incidents.