The Russian-occupied Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant, which lost its external connection to Ukraine's unified energy system on Aug 20, has still not been reconnected due to the security situation and continues to run on diesel generators, a source close to the government told Energoreforma.
"Yes, ZNPP has been on several generators since Aug 20. We still haven't been able to reconnect it to our grid," the source said.
The source suggested Russia is deliberately creating conditions that prevent repairs to the power lines connecting ZNPP to Ukraine's energy system, saying this serves the aggressor state's goal of putting pressure on Ukraine.
"This is provocation and pressure on Ukraine aimed at forcing concessions in negotiations," the source said.
The source noted that reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (Aug 29) raise the issue of supplying diesel fuel for the generators, noting that fuel was last delivered as far back as March and that reserves are now sufficient for only about 10 days.
However, according to the source, Russia is capable of supplying fuel to the diesel generators, "just as it supplies fuel to military equipment at the ZNPP site."
"This is yet another example of blackmail by Russia," the source said.
Energoatom, Ukraine's state nuclear operator, has not commented on the situation at ZNPP so far, citing security concerns.
As previously reported, both Ukrenergo and Energoatom said on Aug 20 that the last line supplying the temporarily occupied Zaporizhia NPP was disconnected during an air raid alert, causing the plant to switch to diesel generators for the 15th time this year. According to the plant's operator, this marks the 27th "blackout" since the station's occupation in March 2022.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said on Aug 29 that without restoration of external power or additional diesel fuel deliveries in the near future, the plant could face a power outage within about ten days.
He reiterated that, to repair the Ferosplavna-1 line as quickly as possible, the IAEA is negotiating the establishment of a localized ceasefire zone — which would be the seventh such zone since the end of last year. The agency noted that before the conflict, ZNPP had access to 10 external power lines.
