Local Ceasefire Declared for Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Power Line Repairs

The International Atomic Energy Agency announced that a seventh local ceasefire is in effect to permit demining and repair work aimed at restoring external electrical power to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Seventh Local Ceasefire in Effect

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated in an address to the agency's board of governors that both sides have constructively contributed to securing the local ceasefire.

Disconnection of External Power Connection

The facility's last remaining external power line was disabled on August 20 following military activity on the northern side of the Dnipro River.

This situation left the six-unit nuclear power plant dependent on emergency diesel generators to operate its cooling pumps.

Generator Fuel and Repair Works

The imminent exhaustion of fuel for the emergency generators and the intermittent operation of the cooling pumps necessitated an urgent ceasefire brokerage effort for the repair of the Ferosplavna-1 power line.

Under the ceasefire that began over the weekend, International Atomic Energy Agency personnel are closely monitoring demining and repair operations on-site.

Personnel Safety and Casualties

Last month, a drone explosion at a bus stop used by plant workers and contractors resulted in one fatality and around twenty casualties.

Agency officials emphasized that putting personnel in danger constitutes a clear violation of nuclear safety principles.

Military Activities and Appeals

Rafael Mariano Grossi stated that nuclear power plants and their personnel must not be attacked, calling on all military commanders in the region to exercise maximum military restraint.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been under Russian military control since early March 2022 and has experienced multiple losses of off-site power since the beginning of the war.