A nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, controlled and surrounded by Russian forces, has lost external power, according to the head of the United Nations nuclear regulator.
In a statement Wednesday, International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Grossi said all external power supply needed for vital safety systems was shut down for the second time in five days.
The disruption at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is “a deeply worrying development,” he said.
A general view of the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant is shown in this photo taken on September 11, 2022. (STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)
Nuclear safety and security equipment is kept operational by backup diesel generators.
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Russia has had a presence in Zaporizhzhia for several months and said it was determined to gain a foothold in the region – and above the nuclear plant – after a referendum on joining Russia was held by local separatists.
“The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is now on the territory of the Russian Federation and, accordingly, should be operated under the supervision of our relevant authorities,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin told the Russian media outlet RIA.
The nuclear power plant’s captivity poses a significant risk to the surrounding area and the world, Ukrainian officials said.
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Last week Russia officially annexed Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions.
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is considered to be a continued Russian presence at the nuclear power plant. (Metin Aktas / Agency Anadolu)
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The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. It is among the ten largest in the world.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.