Kyiv: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been reconnected to the power grid after completing repairs on the Ferosplavna back-up power line. This reconnection follows almost three days of outage, marking one of the longest power interruptions at the site.

According to Anadolu Agency, the power outage at ZNPP occurred after an attack across the Dnipro River severed the plant's connection to the 330-kilovolt line on Wednesday night. This disconnection forced the facility to rely on emergency diesel generators to maintain the necessary power to cool its six non-operational reactors. This incident is the 19th time the plant has experienced a total off-site power loss since the onset of the conflict in Ukraine.

The IAEA has also reported ongoing repair activities at the nearby Zaporizhzhya Thermal Power Plant switchyard and de-mining efforts near the ZNPP. These efforts aim to facilitate repairs on the main power line, the 750 kV Dniprovska, which has been out of service since March. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi emphasized the importance of these repairs to secure off-site electricity and mitigate the risk of a nuclear accident.

Grossi also voiced concerns over the increased military activity in the area, highlighting the threat it poses to nuclear safety. He called for maximum military restraint near all nuclear facilities to prevent potential disasters.

Meanwhile, the Russian-installed management at ZNPP accused Ukraine of attacking the plant's transport workshop, a claim Kyiv has yet to address. Since September 1, 2022, personnel from the UN's nuclear watchdog, IAEA, have been stationed at the plant, which has been under Russian control since March 2022.