Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 10, The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Thursday that work has begun to restore external power to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine, which has been disconnected from the electricity grid for more than two weeks. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that the process was initiated after consultations with both Ukrainian and Russian authorities, who have blamed each other for the loss of external power lines.

A view through flowers shows the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian-controlled Ukraine, June 15, 2023.

The Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility with six reactors, has been under Russian control since the early weeks of the February 2022 conflict. Although it no longer generates electricity, both sides have repeatedly exchanged accusations regarding activities near the site that could threaten nuclear safety.

“Following intensive consultations, the process leading to the re-establishment of off-site power... has started,” Grossi said in a statement published on the IAEA’s website. “While it will still take some time before the grid connection of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been restored, the two sides have engaged with us in a constructive way to achieve this important objective for the sake of nuclear safety and security.”

Since the final external connection failed on September 23, the plant has been relying on emergency diesel generators to maintain reactor cooling and prevent overheating. Grossi emphasized that restoring a stable external power source is essential to ensuring long-term safety at the site.

IAEA monitors stationed at the plant reported hearing five explosions in succession on Thursday, “occurring close to the site and shaking windows in their building,” according to Grossi’s statement. However, there were no immediate reports of damage or safety incidents affecting the reactors.

Grossi also noted that the decommissioned Chornobyl nuclear power station, located in northern Ukraine, remains without an external power line. The Chornobyl site, which experienced the world’s worst nuclear accident in 1986, is currently receiving electricity from alternative sources. Ukrainian authorities said the connection loss resulted from an attack on an electrical substation in a nearby town.

Earlier on Thursday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying there were currently no grounds to restart the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant due to the lack of an external power supply. Meanwhile, Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom was reported to be making preparations for a potential restart once conditions permit.

The IAEA continues to maintain a permanent presence of its experts at the Zaporizhzhia site to monitor safety and technical conditions. Grossi reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to facilitating communication between the two sides to prevent any incident that could compromise nuclear security in the region.