Russian officials charged today that Ukrainian shelling of the Zaporozhye thermal power station in Energador, over night, not only left 50,000 people without power, but also cut off the 330 kV reserve external power line to the nearby Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, leaving its safety systems operating on the sole 750 kV main power line, reported TASS. “Due to the night shelling of the region’s energy facilities, especially the thermal plant, the 330 kV Ferrosplavnaya-1 power supply line is out of order for an indefinite period. Experts are determining the extent of damage, the possibility, and the timing of restoration of equipment,” the ZNPP said on its Telegram channel.
The report quoted ZNPP Director Yury Chernichuk as saying that “the lack of a backup power supply line endangers the safety of the Zaporozhye NPP’s operation.” He added that, however, the plant’s equipment is in a safe condition and the staff is ready to respond.
The shelling of the thermal power plant followed the Feb. 12 disruption of the regular rotation of IAEA experts at the nuclear plant. “Despite written assurances received from both sides that the planned rotation could take place safely, the situation proved to be too dangerous for the teams to continue and the mission was aborted,” said the IAEA said in a statement.
“The interruption of the IAEA rotation took place solely due to the deliberate actions of the Ukrainian side. For its part, the Russian military department has fully complied with all obligations to ensure safety and guarantee ceasefire in the area of the IAEA rotation,” wrote the Russian Defense Ministry in a statement.
According to the Russian account, the Russian convoy that was dispatched to pick up the IAEA experts at the line of contact with the Ukrainian side came under repeated attack from Ukrainian mortars and attack drones. “In total, the enemy delivered 12 strikes on the vehicle convoy,” the statement said. The vehicles suffered damage, but there were no casualties reported among Russian military personnel.
