Ukraine and Russia agree to local ceasefire for repairs near Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant
17 January 05:35
Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi announced on the organization’s website that a local agreement had been reached on a temporary ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia in the area of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, reports "Komersant Ukrainian".
The purpose of the agreement is to ensure that critical restoration work can be carried out on the plant’s energy infrastructure.
What exactly is planned to be restored
This refers to a 330 kV backup power line that was damaged on January 2 as a result of hostilities. As a result, the ZNPP has been operating under increased risk for more than two weeks, relying solely on a single 750 kV power line.
The IAEA emphasizes that having only one power supply channel increases the vulnerability of the plant and creates additional threats to nuclear safety.
When will the work begin and who will carry it out?
According to the agency, repairs are expected to begin in the coming days. The restoration will be carried out by Ukrainian energy specialists, and the process will be supervised by international observers.
To this end, an IAEA delegation from Vienna has already traveled to Ukraine and will work directly near the front line, monitoring the safety conditions of the work.
IAEA position on risks
Commenting on the overall situation, Rafael Grossi refrained from detailing the consequences of Russian shelling for the Ukrainian power grid, but acknowledged that ongoing hostilities and the degradation of the network directly affect the safety of nuclear facilities.
“The deterioration of the Ukrainian power grid due to ongoing hostilities is negatively affecting the level of nuclear safety,” said the IAEA chief.
Why this is critically important
The Zaporizhzhya NPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, and a stable external power supply is a key condition for:
- cooling reactors,
- maintaining safety systems,
- preventing emergency scenarios.
Any power outages at such facilities are considered by the international community to be a global risk factor, so involving the IAEA and agreeing on even a temporary truce is of fundamental importance.
