IAEA Begins Zaporizhzhia NPP Power-Line Repairs

The IAEA has begun repairing damaged off‑site power lines to the Russian‑occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant after local ceasefire zones allowed access and ended a four‑week outage that began when the last external line was severed on Sept. 23. The plant has not generated electricity since then and has been running on emergency diesel generators, which Energoatom and experts say are not designed for prolonged use and raise serious risks for reactor cooling and spent fuel. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said both sides engaged constructively to enable a “complex repair plan,” and the agency has proposed phased measures to restore external power. Ukraine’s energy ministry blamed Russian military aggression and the occupation for the unprecedented threat, while Russian‑appointed plant managers, Rosatom and the Russian defence ministry say they are cooperating and providing security to allow repairs. Seized by Russian forces early in the 2022 invasion, the Zaporizhzhia plant is the largest in Europe and remains a focal point of international concern over nuclear safety amid ongoing fighting.