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Still occupied by Russia: the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Enerhodar
Photo: ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO / REUTERS
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine is directly connected to the power grid again after a two-week break.
As the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced in Vienna, a main power line has been restored, which is used to cool the fuel rods in the facility occupied by Russian forces.
According to IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, the general situation in Zaporizhia remains unstable despite the improved power supply.
The nuclear power plant had not been fired upon in the past few days during the Ukraine war, but fighting continued in the area around the plant.
In his reports on the power plant, Grossi refers, among other things, to information from two IAEA experts who are stationed there as observers.
During the interruption, the external power supply ran via emergency lines, which also failed at times due to the fighting.
In order to avoid the risky use of emergency power generators in the nuclear power plant or even a nuclear accident, the last of the six reactors that was still in operation was shut down last weekend.
However, the nuclear material must continue to be cooled even when it is switched off.
At the beginning of September, a team of experts from the IAEA, led by Grossi, traveled to the city of Enerhodar, where the power plant is located, and carried out investigations there.
Members of the team have since stayed at the power plant site to monitor the situation.
hba/dpa