Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure Targeted in Overnight Russian Offensive, Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Briefly lost Power
A widespread Russian offensive overnight from Friday to Saturday targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure, resulting in a temporary loss of external power to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear power Plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi announced the incident on the social network X.
This marks the eleventh time the Zaporizhzhia plant has been disconnected from external power as the start of the conflict. The plant was later reconnected to a 330 kilovolt (kV) power line after approximately thirty minutes, though a 750 kV line remained disconnected for a period.
Russian authorities managing the plant stated that radiation levels remained within normal limits following the outage and that the plant has as been returned to service.
The IAEA confirmed the power disruption was a consequence of military activities impacting the broader Ukrainian electricity network, necessitating a reduction in power output from operating nuclear power plants.Grossi reiterated his urgent call for military restraint “to avoid a nuclear accident,” the agency stated.
In a separate advancement, the IAEA also confirmed on Friday that the New Safe Confinement structure shielding the damaged reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant has been compromised due to drone-related damage, diminishing its protective capabilities. Further details are available in an IAEA press release.
