According to Ukraine’s Energy Ministry, Russian forces launched an attack on a substation connected to the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) on October 1st. This resulted in a power line to the facility being cut off, putting the plant “on the verge” of a blackout once again. The ministry stated that efforts were being made to restore full power.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is the largest nuclear plant in Europe, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022. During this time, the plant has been repeatedly disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to Russian attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure.
Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko demanded that the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) resolution be immediately implemented and the occupied nuclear power plant be returned under Ukraine’s control. He emphasized that the safe operation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP can only be ensured under Ukraine’s control.
According to the state nuclear energy company Energoatom, the plant has already experienced eight complete blackouts. On September 15th, Ukraine’s National Resistance Center reported that Russian forces were still using the occupied power plant to deploy military personnel and store ammunition and explosives. They also criticized the IAEA for allegedly ignoring this fact.
During his speech at the U.N. Security Council on September 24th, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia was preparing to target three Ukrainian nuclear power plants. However, he did not specify which stations were under threat, but he did mention that Kyiv had evidence and “proof” of Russia’s plans.
There are three operating nuclear power plants on Ukrainian-held territory – Rivne and Khmelnytskyi NPPs in the west, and Pivdennoukrainsk NPP in the south. The regular attacks by Russia put the safety of these plants at risk by cutting off power to the units.
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