Russia reports power line failure at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

• Russia's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine has experienced a power outage, affecting six reactors.
• The plant relies on external power to maintain its nuclear material and prevent accidents.
• The main 750 kV “Dniprovska” power line went down at 13:31 local time.

On Thursday, Russia announced that the main power line supplying the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine had gone down. However, authorities assured that there was no threat to safety as the plant received supply via a backup line.

Russia controls the Zaporizhzhia plant, which holds six reactors and is located close to the front line of the conflict in Ukraine. While the reactors are not in operation, the plant relies on external power to keep its nuclear material cool and prevent a catastrophic accident.

The Russian management stated on their official channel on the Telegram app that they were investigating the reasons for the outage, which had not caused any change in the radiation level.

It was reported that the main 750 kilovolt (kV) “Dniprovska” power line went down at 13:31 local time (1031 GMT), while the 330 kV “Ferosplavnaya” line is currently supplying power to the plant.

An outage for almost five hours on March 22 affected the main “Dniprovska” power line, highlighting what the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) described as “ever-present dangers to nuclear safety and security” arising from the Russia-Ukraine war.

At various times, Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of shelling the Zaporizhzhia plant, which is Europe’s largest. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated that the ZNPP has been experiencing major off-site power problems since the conflict began in early 2022, exacerbating the nuclear safety and security risks facing the site.

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