Russian nuclear terrorism in action: ZNPP switches to emergency generators for the 7th time

This morning, Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost external power for the 7th time since the conflict, forcing it to rely on emergency diesel generators, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi tweeted on Monday, May 22. 

 

#Ukraine’s #ZNPP this morning lost all external electricity for 7th time during conflict, forcing it to rely on emergency diesel generators for power; nuclear safety situation at the plant extremely vulnerable. We must agree to protect plant now; this situation cannot continue.

— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) May 22, 2023

“We must agree to protect plant now; this situation cannot continue,” the IAEA Director General responded.

The information about the dangerous situation was also confirmed by Energoatom – “As a result of the shelling on the night of May 22, at 5:26 a.m., the last high-voltage transmission line, Dniprovska 750kV, which supplied the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP for its own needs, was disconnected.”

As a result of the damage to the high-voltage line, Zaporizhzhia NPP lost power from the grid and went on power by diesel generators.

Given that a power outage at the nuclear power plant could lead to an explosion, fire, and radiation spread, Ukrainian power engineers urgently restored power to the nuclear power plant from the Ukrainian grid, and at noon Kyiv time, Ukrenergo reported that the danger had been eliminated.  

Yet, Russia continues to resort to nuclear terrorism and threats to Ukraine and Europe. 

According to Energoatom’s website, the work and behavior rules at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which currently employs 2,500 nuclear workers, are becoming stricter daily. 

“The reason for the new bans, which greatly complicate working communication between ZNPP employees, is simple: the racists are trying to disguise their firing positions and many military vehicles on the plant’s territory. The largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine and Europe! Which the occupiers cynically turned into a military facility!” Energoatom comments.