Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant disconnected from grid due to Russian shelling

Russian attacks were reported across large areas of Ukraine on Thursday, Ukrainian officials said, with heavy shelling in numerous regions damaging infrastructure, including power supplies to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

The plant has been disconnected from the power grid after Russian shelling damaged the remaining high voltage lines, leaving it with just diesel generators, Ukraine nuclear firm Energoatom said.

The plant has 15 days worth of fuel to run the generators, with blocks five and six in the facility being switched into cold state, Energoatom said.

Russian forces have been in control of the nuclear plant, Europe’s largest, since the early days of their invasion of Ukraine, which began in February.

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Although the six reactors are shut down, they still need a constant supply of electricity to keep the nuclear fuel inside cool and prevent disaster.

“Yesterday... the Zaporizhzhia NPP’s (nuclear power plant’s) last two high-voltage lines connecting it to Ukrainian power system were damaged. At 11.04pm, the station went into full blackout mode. All 20 diesel generators were switched on,” Energoatom said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

“In the near future, they (Russia) will try to repair and connect the communication lines of the ZNPP in the direction of temporarily occupied Crimea and Donbas,” said Energoatom, whose staff still operate the plant despite its occupation by Russian forces.

Russian officials have reportedly announced that Moscow-installed authorities have begun integrating the Zaporizhzhia facility into the jurisdiction of Russian nuclear power plant operator Rosenergoatom.

Renat Karchaa, adviser to the general director of Rosenergoatom, said the transition would occur after the plant uses up all available fuel reserves.

Russia did not immediately comment on the situation at the plant.

The facility, which provided about a fifth of Ukraine’s electricity before the invasion, has been forced to operate on back-up generators a number of times since it was occupied.

Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for shelling at the site that has damaged buildings and threatened a nuclear accident. The UN nuclear watchdog is pushing for a protection zone to be set up to prevent further shelling. – Reuters