On the night of August 10, the temporarily occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) lost power supply the off-site 750 kV high-voltage power transmission line and is now on the verge of a blackout, National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom has reported.

"ZNPP had to be switched to the only available 330 kV backup line, the shutdown of which threatens to lose external power (blackout)," Energoatom said in a report published on its Telegram channel.

"In the case of this scenario, the main threat to nuclear and radiation safety is the presence of reactor four of the Zaporizhia NPP in a hot shutdown, which the occupiers use in violation of the conditions of the Ukrainian regulator's license for the operation of nuclear power plants," the company warned.

As acting Executive Director of SOE Energoatom Taras Tkach said, in the event of a complete loss of external power, the main circulation pumps of the plant will turn off – and the reactor will switch to the "natural circulation" mode. "In this case, it is urgent to "cool" it in the absence of cooling pumps," he said.

"Such a mode is difficult for a reactor. Its duration is limited by the project, and it can lead to the failure of the main equipment of the reactor," Energoatom warned.

"The further occupation of the ZNPP by Russia, the management of the plant by an illegitimate and unprepared ruscists leadership, which does not bear any responsibility for the nuclear and radiation safety of the facility, constantly brings the ZNPP closer to disaster."