Ukraine urgently repairs backup transmission line of Zaporizhzhya NPP

Today, on January 18, repair work has started on the backup 330 kV line Ferrosplavna-1 connecting Zaporizhzhya NPP to the Ukrainian power grid. The initiative is being implemented during the current ceasefire with the participation of IAEA representatives.

According to the IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, in the event of a main line outage, it is Ferroalloy-1 that ensures Zaporizhzhia NPP's connection to the Ukrainian power grid.

Ukrainian power engineers are carrying out the repair work. The IAEA team is also on site to monitor the process and ensure compliance with safety rules. According to Mr. Grossi, the work is taking place in difficult conditions, but it is critical for the uninterrupted and safe power supply of the plant.

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is a nuclear power plant in Ukraine, in the steppe zone near the former shore of the Kakhovka Reservoir in Zaporizhzhia region, near the city of Enerhodar. It is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and the third largest in the world by total capacity. It consists of six nuclear power units of 1 GW each. On March 4, 2022, during the full-scale Russian invasion, the power plant was seized by Russian troops.

According to the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, the plant is currently powered by only one power line. Therefore, in case of disconnection of the plant from external power supply, another complete blackout will occur at Zaporizhzhia NPP, which poses a threat to radiation safety. Ukrainian power engineers will start restoring the line as soon as the security situation allows.

"Only the return of control over the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP to Ukraine can guarantee the safe operation of Europe's largest nuclear power plant. Every day of the occupation brings ZNPP closer to disaster," Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said at the time.

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Ukraine urgently repairs backup power line of Zaporizhzhya NPP

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