Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear agency, reported on Monday that the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) was disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to a fire caused by Russian shelling at the nearby Zaporizhia Thermal Power Plant (ZTPP).
“Today, September 5, 2022, due to a fire caused by shelling, the 330 kV ZTPP – Ferosplavna power transmission line was disconnected, that is the last line linking the ZNPP/ZTPP hub to the power system of Ukraine! As a result, power unit No. 6, currently powering the ZNPP’s in-house needs, was unloaded and disconnected from the grid,” Energoatom stated in a post to its Telegram Channel.
Energoatom also stated that previous Russian shelling had resulted in the damage and disconnection of several other transmission lines to and from ZNPP and ZTPP.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) later reported that it was informed by Ukraine that the transmission line between ZNPP and ZTPP “was deliberately disconnected today in order to extinguish a fire, but the line itself was not damaged. The ZNPP continues to receive the electricity it needs for safety from its sole operating reactor.”
#Ukraine informed IAEA that a back-up power line between #Zaporizhzhya NPP & a thermal power station was deliberately disconnected to extinguish a fire. The line was not damaged & for safety #ZNPP is receiving electricity from its sole operating reactor. https://t.co/leL4knrZWn pic.twitter.com/UuACtl6d4k
— IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency (@iaeaorg) September 5, 2022
“After the ZNPP’s connection to its last remaining operational 750 kilovolt (kV) line was lost late on Friday, the 330 kV reserve line had been used to deliver electricity from the ZNPP to the grid. Ukraine informed IAEA that this back-up line will be re-connected once the fire has been extinguished,” the IAEA also stated, adding that “One of the ZNPP’s six reactors continues to produce the electricity the plant requires for cooling and other nuclear safety functions. The reactor will be connected to the grid when the 330 kV line is switched on again.”
The plant’s Ukrainian staff also told the IAEA experts today that repairs to other damaged transmission lines will take several days to complete, further stressing that “A secure off-site power supply from the grid and back-up power supply systems are essential for ensuring nuclear safety.”
