Widespread military activities overnight affect electricity grid, prompt Ukraine’s operating NPPs to reduce output – IAEA
Large-scale military action that continued overnight impacted the power grid and forced Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants to reduce output, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement on the social media site X on Saturday.
“DG Rafael Grossi reiterates call for military restraint to avoid a nuclear accident,” the agency noted.
According to Grossi, the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) temporarily lost all external power supply overnight, marking the 11th such incident during the military conflict.
“ZNPP reconnected to 330 kV power line after half hour outage, but 750 kV line still disconnected,” the IAEA specified.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, energy facilities were the main target of a massive Russian shelling attack on Saturday night, which involved 51 missiles and 653 drones.
Ukrenergo increased its outages to 2.5-3 stages out of a possible six, compared to the previous day’s announcement for Saturday of 0.5-2.5 stages. Additionally, emergency outages were imposed in four regions.
