Zaporizhzhia Power Plant Stopped for Safety, Operator Says

• Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has been shut down as a “safety measure”, its operator said.
• Its last operational reactor was disconnected from the grid, switching the plant to a “cold state.”
• Conflict near the plant in southern Ukraine has triggered alarms from international watchdogs. 
  

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine has been completely shut down as “a safety measure” as fighting continues to rage in the area, Ukrainian nuclear power agency Energoatom said on Sunday.

Russian forces have occupied the plant, which is one of the largest in the world and the largest in Europe, since early March. It is still operated by Ukrainian staff.

The plant has ceased operations after the agency disconnected the last operational reactor from the grid, Energoatom said in a statement, per Reuters. 

“Preparations are underway for its cooling and transfer to a cold state,” the statement said.

The plant has continually come under shelling, which both Russia and Ukraine blame each other for, prompting fears of a potential nuclear disaster. 

International watchdogs have repeatedly sounded the alarm, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres previously saying attacks around the plant are “suicidal.”

The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency visited the plant earlier this month, and said that fighting near the plant “may lead to radiological consequences with great safety significance.”

The plant had become disconnected from the power grid due to fighting in the area, and for several days was using its only remaining reactor in operation for essential cooling operations.

Energoatom said that one of the power lines was restored late Saturday, which allowed the final reactor to be shut down, according to The Associated Press.

“Therefore, a decision was made to shut down power unit No. 6 and transfer it to the safest state – cold shutdown,” the company said in a statement, per AP.

Energoatom noted that the risk of power being cut again is high, which would mean the plant would need to use emergency diesel generators to keep the reactors cool and prevent a nuclear meltdown.

The agency’s chief told AP on Thursday that the plant only had enough diesel fuel for 10 days.

The UN and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have called for the creation of a demilitarized zone around the plant.

Zelenskyy said on Saturday that he wanted the plant to be able to run in a stable way so it could used to create power to help with Europe’s energy crisis.