The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station was successfully re-connected to Ukraine’s electrical grid on Thursday (23 October) after a month-long outage, following repairs carried out under the protection of a local ceasefire negotiated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The agency said the restoration of offsite power to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant – on the frontline of the military conflict in southeast Ukraine – marks a significant positive step. Last month’s loss of all external electricity supplies had further stoked concerns about the fragile nuclear safety and security situation at the site.
The agency’s director-general Rafael Grossi said in a statement: “Today is a rare, good day for nuclear safety and security in Ukraine and beyond, although the overall situation of course remains highly precarious.