On September 5, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi announced on X that a local ceasefire had been established to restore off-site power to the ZNPP, which had been unavailable since August 20. On that day, the plant lost connection to the Ukrainian power grid for the 27th time since the start of the full-scale invasion and switched to diesel generators.
Energoatom stresses that the actual situation at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP demonstrates the systematic undermining of the fundamental principles of nuclear safety.
Emergency diesel generators are being used by the occupiers as primary power sources under beyond-design-basis conditions. Their prolonged and continuous operation increases the risk of a common cause failure (CCF) – one of the most critical threats to NPP safety.
Repeated start-up cycles and switching under load significantly increase the probability of failure of the automatic start-up systems.
Even though all power units are in cold shutdown, a loss of power poses a risk of losing control over key safety systems, spent fuel ponds and process parameters.
Therefore, Europe’s largest NPP continues to be operated under beyond-design-basis conditions and in gross violation of the established limits and conditions for the safe operation of the reactor installation.
The Company emphasizes: only the complete withdrawal of russian military and civilian personnel and the return of the ZNPP to the control of its licensed operator – Energoatom – can guarantee the safe operation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Restoring the main and backup power lines connecting the Zaporizhzhia NPP to the Ukrainian power grid is crucial to ensuring nuclear and radiation safety at the ZNPP.
