IAEA’s statement said that demining and other preparatory work began around the damaged section of the Ferosplavna-1 line, which provides the facility with power to cool its nuclear fuel pools. Actual repairs are scheduled to start on Nov. 8.
“Two weeks after off-site power was successfully restored to the ZNPP following a one-month outage—also made possible by temporary truce arrangements negotiated by the IAEA—demining and other preparations got under way this morning near a damaged section of the 330kV Ferosplavna-1 line, whose connection to the plant was cut six months ago,” the message said.
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said intense consultations with Russian and Ukrainian authorities produced a new window of silence that will allow crews to continue repair work.
“Hopefully, also this power line will be re-connected soon, marking a new significant step for nuclear safety and security,” the IAEA quoted Grossi.
“It will further enhance the plant’s nuclear safety resilience … However, the overall nuclear safety and security situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant remains highly precarious.”
On Sept. 23, Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said the sole power line supplying ZNPP from the Ukrainian grid was cut, forcing reliance on diesel generators to cool fissile material.
On Oct. 14, The Associated Press, citing an unnamed Ukrainian diplomat, reported that the IAEA has proposed a two-stage plan to restore external power supply. The first stage would establish a 1.5-kilometer buffer zone to repair the main 750kV Dnipro transmission line. The second would create another temporary security zone to restore the 330kV Ferosplavna-1 backup line in territory controlled by Ukraine.