The situation with the power supply of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, temporarily occupied by the Russians, is still a source of deep concern, said yesterday, October 3, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi.

The head of the IAEA noted that on Tuesday, October 1, the ZNPP lost its connection to the single backup power line of 330 kV for 36 hours, due to which the plant once again remained completely dependent on the single power transmission line of 750 kV. According to him, it is currently unclear what caused this incident.

The shutdown of the ZNPP's backup power line highlights the instability of the electricity supply needed to cool the plant's six reactors and ensure other critical nuclear safety functions, Rafael Grossi said.

The IAEA recalled that it had four 750 kV lines and six 330 kV lines before the full-scale Russian invasion, underscoring how seriously nuclear safety has deteriorated since February 2022.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the ZNPP has repeatedly experienced partial or complete power outages, and this is one of the most difficult challenges for maintaining nuclear and physical nuclear security during the conflict, the IAEA notes. In total, the plant lost external power 8 times, so the nuclear facility had to temporarily rely on emergency diesel generators for power.

As "Ukrainian Energy" reported, on Tuesday, October 1, as a result of the Russian attack on the main substation on October 1, one of the power lines of the occupied Zaporizhzhya NPP was cut off. The station was again on the verge of blackout.