Ukraine resumes power supply to Zaporozhye NPP - Rosenergoatom

ROSTOV-ON-DON. March 9 (Interfax) - The Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Energodar is again receiving electricity for its own needs from the Ukrainian grid after power supply was cut off early on Thursday, Renat Karchaa, an aide to the head of Rosenergoatom, said in an interview with Interfax.

"Power supply has been resumed," Karchaa said.

Units 5 and 6 of the ZNPP have not yet been switched to cold shutdown mode, and therefore, "they will be relaunched quickly enough in hot shutdown mode, as before," Karchaa said.

As reported earlier, power supply to the ZNPP from Ukraine was cut off in the early hours of Thursday because of a short circuit between the Southern Ukrainian NPP and the Dnieper substation. Automatic systems activated the ZNPP's diesel generators, after which the two units were to be switched to cold shutdown from hot shutdown mode. The radiation levels in the surrounding area remain normal.

The Zaporozhye NPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, operating six VVER-1000 reactor units. According to latest reports, the plant has not been generating electricity since September 11, 2022, and only two of its units were operational in hot shutdown mode until lately to generate heat.

The plant's facilities have been transferred to Russia's ownership, with the establishment of the Zaporozhye NPP federal state unitary enterprise operated by the Zaporozhye NPP Operating Organization instituted by Rosenergoatom, part of the Russian state atomic energy agency Rosatom.

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission visited the ZNPP on September 1, 2022. Since then, several IAEA specialists have been posted at the station on a rotational basis. The latest rotation took place on March 2, following three unsuccessful attempts.

The ZNPP has been under the Russian army's control since February 28, 2022.