IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has voiced alarming data: the longest communication blackout at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant since the start of the full-scale war has been recorded. For 12 hours, the facility was completely cut off from the outside world, coinciding with a sharp intensification of hostilities in the Enerhodar area.
Isolation from the World and Safety Risks
On Wednesday, landline telephony and internet on the station ceased to function. The exact causes of the failure could not be established, but the chronology of events leaves no doubt about their connection with shelling. In Enerhodar, where a significant part of the personnel lives, attacks were recorded at this time. Grossi emphasized that the loss of contact with experts at the facility is not just a technical malfunction, but a critical threat to nuclear safety.
Energy Vulnerability
The situation is exacerbated by chronic problems with power supply. At the moment, the NPP is powered by a single transmission line, as the main one was disconnected back in March. Before the war, the facility operated in conjunction with ten lines. In addition, in the area of the station, drone strikes on civilian objects and service vehicles were recorded, which led to a temporary suspension of diesel fuel supplies.
The IAEA reports that current fuel reserves are enough for 10 days of emergency generator operation, however, the stability of these supplies remains critical for the reactor cooling system. Any disruptions in fuel logistics against the backdrop of the vulnerability of external power networks make the situation extremely unstable.
Negotiations on Repair and Aid to Ukraine
The Agency continues to conduct complex consultations with Kyiv and Moscow on a local ceasefire necessary for the repair of the 750 kV line. However, the proximity of the front significantly complicates both the negotiation process and the conduct of restoration work.
Alongside monitoring ZNPP, IAEA experts are recording drone activity in the Chernobyl zone — about 20 aircraft were spotted in a week. At the same time, the agency continues its humanitarian mission: Ukraine has received special equipment for energy workers in the Mykolaiv region, which will help to detect accidents faster and increase the reliability of the region's power system.
