Russian-occupied Ukraine's Zaporizhia nuclear power plant cuts off power again

“The diesel generator is operating to cool the reactor.”

(Rome = Yonhap News) Correspondent Min Gyeong-rak = The power supplied to cool the reactor at the nuclear power plant in the Zaporizhia region of southern Ukraine, which is occupied by Russia, was cut off again.

According to Reuters on the 8th (local time), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said, "The external power supply line was disconnected this morning and we are relying on diesel generators to cool the reactor."

He added, “The cause of the power supply cutoff has not yet been confirmed.”

Currently, all six reactors at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant have been shut down, but in order to prevent 'reactor meltdown', in which the core melts, power must be supplied to operate the cooling and safety systems. A reactor meltdown can lead to a nuclear accident, such as an explosion or radioactive material leak.

The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which Russia took control of shortly after the start of the war, is the largest in Europe, and has been the target of several air raids, raising constant concerns about radioactive material leaks.