The IAEA will investigate the causes of the record-breaking communication outage at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant
28 May 22:57
The occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has experienced its longest complete loss of communication with the outside world since the start of the full-scale war. The plant was without landline telephone service and internet connectivity for approximately 12 hours.
This was reported by Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
According to him, the incident occurred amid reports of increased military activity near the plant and attacks on the city of Energodar, where most of the Zaporizhzhia NPP staff reside.
ZNPP was left without communication for 12 hours
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that a prolonged communication outage occurred at the Zaporizhzhia NPP this week. For approximately 12 hours, neither landline phones nor the internet were working at the plant.
“On Wednesday, for approximately 12 hours, there was no landline telephone service or internet connection at the ZNPP, marking the longest such incident at the plant since the start of the military conflict,” Grossi said in a statement.
The exact cause of the outage remains unclear at this time. At the same time, the IAEA emphasized that the outage coincided with reports of military attacks on Energodar.
Why the communication outage at the ZNPP is dangerous
The Zaporizhzhia NPP remains a site of heightened nuclear risk. Even though the plant is not currently generating electricity, it requires constant monitoring, communication with the outside world, and the ability to respond promptly to any changes.
Rafael Grossi called the incident critical from the perspective of nuclear safety and security.
“For many hours, we were unable to contact our team of experts on site, and the plant could not communicate with the outside world in the usual way. This was certainly a very alarming event from the perspective of nuclear safety and security,” said the IAEA Director General.
According to him, the IAEA team will continue to investigate the causes of the outage and discuss how to prevent a similar situation from recurring.
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The outage coincided with reports of attacks on Energodar
The IAEA noted that the communication outage occurred amid reports of military activity near the plant.
Specifically, these reports concerned attacks on the city of Energodar. A significant portion of the Zaporizhzhia NPP staff and experts associated with the facility’s operations reside there.
This coincidence is particularly concerning, as any deterioration in the security situation around the nuclear power plant could pose additional risks to control over the facility.
IAEA Investigates Causes of Outage
The international mission at the ZNPP plans to thoroughly investigate the causes of the prolonged communication outage. The main goal is to prevent such critical situations from recurring in the future.
For a nuclear power plant, communication with the outside world is of paramount importance. It is necessary for coordinating staff actions, informing international experts, monitoring safety, and responding promptly in the event of incidents.
If the plant loses communication for several hours, it makes it difficult to monitor the condition of the reactors and the overall situation at the facility.
The Zaporizhzhia NPP remains under Russian occupation
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. It has six power units with a total capacity of 6 GW.
Since March 2022, the plant has been under Russian occupation. Currently, the ZNPP is not generating electricity, but it remains a facility that requires constant maintenance, cooling, monitoring, and a stable power supply.
The situation surrounding the plant has repeatedly raised concerns among the international community due to risks to nuclear safety.
The ZNPP remains a complex issue in negotiations
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains one of the most complex issues in the negotiation process. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously emphasized that the plant’s future cannot be considered separately from the broader territorial issue.
According to the head of state, the situation surrounding the ZNPP, as well as the status of the occupied territories, remains one of the key challenges that have yet to be resolved at the delegation level.
Rafael Grossi has also previously stated that the de-occupation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which was seized by Russian troops, is one of the most complex issues in the negotiations between Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia.
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