Russia has deliberately cut power to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to connect it to its own grid, says Ukrainian foreign minister
Russia has deliberately disconnected the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) from Ukraine's power grid under the guise of a "test" and is preparing to link it to its own power system.
Source: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on X (Twitter)
Details: According to Sybiha, the disconnection of the ZNPP was a manual shutdown conducted as part of a so-called "test", while Russia prepares to connect the occupied facility to its own energy system.
He warned that the next step could be restarting the reactor under occupation without proper cooling, licences or external oversight, significantly increasing the risk of nuclear incidents.
Sybiha called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure unhindered access for repair teams and the delivery of specialised equipment needed to restore the ZNPP's power supply from Ukrainian territory.
Quote: "Russia deliberately cut power to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. This was a manual disconnection carried out as a test while Russia is preparing to reconnect the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP to its own power grid."
Background:
- On 23 September at 16:56, the only power transmission line supplying the Zaporizhzhia NPP from Ukraine's power grid was disconnected. This blackout is the tenth since the plant was occupied by Russian forces.
- Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Russia is attempting to gain IAEA support in its efforts to seize control of the plant.
- The IAEA has officially confirmed the danger of the situation, noting that the Zaporizhzhia plant has been without its main external power source for ten consecutive days due to the actions of Russian forces.
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