On October 21, the situation at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant deteriorated again. At 12:18 pm, one of the power lines linking the temporarily occupied ZNPP to the unified power system of Ukraine was disconnected due to russian shelling. Currently, the plant is operating on a sole line, which poses a direct threat of a nuclear and radiation accident. 

Before the seizure, the plant consumed electricity from its own 4 power lines and three reserve lines. Moreover, during the ruscist occupation, through the joint efforts of rosatom “specialists” and the russian military contingent, Zaporizhzhia NPP was brought to the last degree of degradation. 

If the sole operating line fails, it will mean the loss of external power supply to the plant and the start-up of emergency diesel generators. Their resources are limited both in terms of operating time and diesel fuel availability. Thus, the start-up of diesel generators means the beginning of the countdown to the start of nuclear fuel melting.

“Just the restoration of Ukraine's control over the plant is the only way to guarantee the safety of Europe's largest nuclear power plant. Constant losses of external power supply to the plant, the inability of the ruscists to ensure stable power supply to the plant threaten the world with a nuclear and radiation disaster,” said Energoatom CEO Petro Kotin.