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Power cut, diesel countdown
The International Atomic Energy Agency said the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine has been without off-site power for more than a week and is currently relying on emergency diesel generators.
“has been without off-site power for more than a week and is currently relying on emergency diesel generators”
The IAEA said the plant needs power to keep its six non-operating reactors cool and has only a ten-day diesel supply on site, with no delivery to an off-site storage facility in about six months.
The IAEA said the plant lost its regular power supply following military activity on the northern side of the Dnipro River, and it said it was trying to negotiate a local ceasefire to allow repairs to electrical lines.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stressed, "The availability of diesel fuel is of paramount importance whenever a nuclear power plant loses off-site power," as the agency warned the situation could lead to a total loss of electricity supply in approximately 10 days.
The IAEA also said it had been supplied with diesel Thursday and Friday from another off-site location, while its teams have had a permanent presence at the plant since September 2022.
Drone incidents and injuries
The IAEA said on Friday there had been three incidents this week involving drones at the Zaporizhzhia plant, injuring two employees, and it said the incidents raised renewed safety concerns.
The Straits Times reported the plant had been supplied with diesel on Aug 26 and 27 from another off-site location, while the IAEA said the plant lost its regular power supply following military activity on the northern side of the Dnipro River.
The New Voice of Ukraine said the IAEA team visited most of the plant’s 20 emergency power facilities on Aug. 24 to check fuel levels in their tanks and assess how long existing reserves could keep the plant operating if external power was not restored.
The New Voice of Ukraine also quoted Rafael Grossi warning that "Without the restoration of off-site power or additional diesel fuel deliveries in the near future, the plant could face a loss of power in approximately 10 days," tying the countdown to repairs and logistics.
The IAEA said it was working to establish another localized ceasefire zone to facilitate repairs to the Ferosplavna-1 power line and restore external power to the plant as soon as possible.
What’s at stake next
The IAEA warned that the Zaporizhzhia plant could face a total loss of electricity supply within about ten days unless external power feeding is restored or additional shipments of diesel fuel arrive soon.
“may face a total power outage within about ten days if external power feeding is not restored”
In a statement to the agency, Rafael Grossi said the plant has been without external electricity for more than a week and relies on emergency diesel generators to provide power for safety-related and nuclear-security functions, especially to run the pumps that cool the six reactors and spent fuel pools.
سانا reported Grossi reiterated that the current situation underscores the need for reliable external power supply and safe supply routes to ensure nuclear safety and security.
The IAEA said it was seeking to negotiate a local ceasefire to allow repairs to the power lines, and it warned that attacks threatening workers or targeting areas associated with the storage of spent nuclear fuel or the cooling pools are "unacceptable and must stop," calling for maximum restraint.
The IAEA said it continues to monitor the Zaporizhzhia plant and other nuclear sites in Ukraine as reports of air raid warnings and drone activity continue to come in.