Blackout at occupied ZNPP caused by deliberate actions of Russian troops, - Greenpeace
The loss of the last power line to the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on 23 September was caused by deliberate actions on the part of Russian troops.
This is stated in a study based on satellite images by the international organisation Greenpeace Ukraine dated 27 September, Censor.NET reports.
Based on the location of the ZNPP switchyard, and the direction of the 750kV line, Greenpeace
estimates that that the damage to the line took place between 2-5km north of the ZNPP
switchyard – which runs north of the ZNPP towards the Dnipro river. There was no shelling or attacks on the electricity line prior to loss of connection to ZNPP. This is indicative of deliberate sabotage by Russian forces," the survey states.
Greenpeace claims that Russian authorities controlling the occupied Ukrainian nuclear power plant may take advantage of the power outage to connect it to the Russian power grid.
"Russia and Rosatom" may take advantage of the current crisis, which they deliberately created, to try to reconnect to Ukraine's power grid, temporarily occupied by Russia, south and east of the ZNPP. The next step could be attempts to start at least one nuclear reactor," the statement said.
Satellite images analyzed by the organization also indicate that Russian engineers are constructing a 201 km power line between substations in occupied Melitopol and Mariupol. Construction began in December 2024.
Earlier it was reported that due to the lack of external power supply for more than 72 hours, emergency generators at the Zaporizhzhia NPP are operating at maximum capacity. Uncontrolled heating of the reactors, comparable to the Fukushima scenario, is possible.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that Russian occupiers are trying to involve the IAEA in reconnecting the station to justify the theft.
