Ukrainian Nuclear Plant Was Cut From Power Grid For 1st Time In History
Things have gone from bad to worse at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, with the looming scenario of much of Ukraine facing a giant blackout.
“The last two working reactors at the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were disconnected from Ukraine’s electricity grid on Thursday after nearby fires damaged overhead power lines, Ukraine’s state nuclear company Energoatom said,” Reuters reports, further giving subsequent confirmation that the whole power plant has been disconnected from the power grid Thursday for the first time in its history.
The connectivity monitoring group NetBlocks is also confirming a major disruption to all communications at the plant following Ukrainian state enterprise Energoatom announcing its been completely disconnected from the power grid.
Reportedly the disconnection was due to fires as nearby ash pits, which Energoatom in its statement blamed on Russian forces: “The actions of the invaders caused a complete disconnection of the ZNPP (Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant) from the power grid – the first in the history of the plant,” it wrote.
But in follow-up, the Russian-installed regional governor announced that “at the moment, the power supply to all cities and districts of the Zaporizhzhia region has been restored” following the disruptions, suggesting that there was a major temporary power outage across the region. It appears the power supply disruption was temporary:
IAEA SAYS UKRAINE TOLD IT THAT ZAPORIZHZHIA AT LEAST TWICE LOST CONNECTION TO THE POWER LINE DURING THE DAY BUT THAT IT WAS CURRENTLY UP AGAIN
According to further statements being reported by CNN:
In a separate statement, Ukraine’s State Inspection of Nuclear Regulation, which cited the nuclear operator Energoatom, said a power line from the plant was disconnected due to hostilities in the area.
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