Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Roman Andarak held a meeting with representatives of the Embassies of the Netherlands and Canada in Ukraine. The main focus of the discussion was the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), which has been without an external power supply since September 23.
On September 23, the last high-voltage transmission line providing the plant with power from Ukraine’s energy system was damaged. As a result, the ZNPP completely lost its external power supply and was forced to switch to backup diesel generators. This marks the tenth complete blackout at the ZNPP since its occupation by Russian forces.
On behalf of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is working with international partners to draw maximum attention to the situation at the ZNPP in order to prevent a nuclear disaster and ensure the urgent return of the occupied plant to Ukraine’s control.
“This is already the tenth blackout at the ZNPP. The only effective mechanism to prevent a nuclear incident is the immediate return of the nuclear power plant to Ukraine’s control. Safe operation of the facility is possible only under the authority of its lawful owner and operator, NAEK Energoatom,” emphasized Mr. Andarak.
Representatives of the Canadian and Dutch Embassies expressed their support and underlined that restoring power supply from Ukraine’s energy system is a critical element in ensuring the safe operation of the ZNPP. They stressed that the potential consequences of a failure of the plant’s safety systems would have transboundary implications, posing a threat not only to Ukraine but also to many European countries.
It should be recalled that the IAEA has officially confirmed the dangerous situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which, as a result of the actions of the occupying forces, remains deprived of its main power source. According to the Agency, the plant, located in the temporarily occupied territory, is currently operating solely on backup diesel generators.
