Today, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced that one of the main power lines at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been repaired and is once again supplying the plant with electricity from the Ukrainian grid. Ukraine relies heavily on nuclear power – about half of its electricity comes from 15 nuclear reactors at four plants across the country, according to the World Nuclear Association. The Russian-controlled plant, with six reactors, is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. It was mostly built in the Soviet era and became the property of Ukraine after it declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The Zaporizhzhia plant is located on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in Ukraine. The area and the nuclear complex have been under Russian control since the beginning of the war, but the plant is still operated mainly by Ukrainian workers. Each of Zaporizhzhia’s reactors would cost $7 billion to replace, making the plant a target for the Russians to seize intact, with hopes of serving its own electricity market, according to an analysis by defense and security intelligence firm Janes. If Russia maintains it, Ukraine would lose 20% of its domestic electricity production capacity. What does his position on the front line mean? Shelling in surrounding towns as well as near the power plant was common, according to local reports. Both Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of bombing the site. CNN cannot independently verify any government’s claims. The international community is on high alert about nuclear safety, but experts believe a Chernobyl-style disaster is unlikely. But risks remain, one of which is potential damage to nuclear waste stored openly at the site – in water ponds and barrels, according to Petro Kotin, president of Energoatom, which operates nuclear power plants in Ukraine. IAEA visit On September 1, a team from the IAEA visited the plant for the first time since Russia invaded on February 24. The team saw damage to the roofs of various buildings, the special building that houses fresh nuclear fuel and the storage facility for solid radioactive waste. They also witnessed shelling during the visit and called on both sides to stop hostilities in the area. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has since called for a nuclear safety zone around the plant and surrounding area. Two members of the IAEA remain at the scene.
