ZNPP will have backup power supply in case of loss of main one – IAEA
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the official website of the IAEA.
Frequent power outages remain a source of serious concern for the safety and security of Europe's largest nuclear power plant (NPP), as it needs electricity to cool its reactors and other critical functions even when all reactor units have been shut down. Thus, since August 2022, ZNPP has experienced eight off-site power loss events.
After the disconnection of the only 750 kV line remaining at ZNPP, the plant can still access electricity from outside its boundaries through the 330 kV backup line, if it remains connected to the grid. However, from mid-2023, this line will require manual intervention to operate.
The statement said that the plant has carried out work on the backup electrical transformers, and two of the three are now operational, and one of these two is permanently connected to the backup power lines at the site of all six reactor units.
"This means that if the main power supply through the 750 kV switchgear is lost, the backup line will automatically be able to provide power to the plant without manual and therefore delayed intervention, provided it remains in good working order," said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.
Five of ZNPP's six reactors remain in cold shutdown, and the fourth unit is in hot shutdown to produce steam and heat, including for the city of Enerhodar, where most of the plant's personnel live.
It is known that the occupiers do not allow IAEA experts access to the reactor halls of three power units of Zaporizhzhia NPP.
