Power Line to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Restored Under IAEA-Brokered Local Ceasefire
A damaged external power line supplying the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been restored following a brief, locally agreed ceasefire.
The Gaze reports this, referring to a statement made by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
According to the IAEA, repair crews completed work on the transmission line connecting substations serving the nuclear facility and the nearby Zaporizhzhia thermal power plant. The temporary halt in hostilities was introduced specifically to allow safe access for the repairs.
The agency stressed that the restored line is critical for maintaining reliable external electricity supply – a cornerstone of nuclear safety, particularly for cooling systems at the plant. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said both sides “cooperated constructively with the IAEA” to enable the work and reduce immediate nuclear risks.
The operation marked the third such instance in recent months in which IAEA-monitored local ceasefire arrangements made it possible to repair power infrastructure damaged during the war. The agency has repeatedly warned that disruptions to off-site power significantly increase safety risks at nuclear facilities in active conflict zones.
The Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe’s largest nuclear power station, has remained shut down for months and is operating in a reduced safety mode. Ukrainian authorities have consistently stated that the facility cannot resume normal operations without the restoration of broader energy infrastructure, including the destroyed Kakhovka hydropower plant.
The plant’s future has also featured in wider diplomatic discussions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticized proposals floated in U.S. policy circles that would place the facility under alternative management arrangements, calling them unfair to Ukraine. Meanwhile, U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg has acknowledged that questions surrounding territory and ownership of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant remain among the most difficult issues in any potential settlement.
For now, the IAEA says restoring and maintaining stable external power supplies remains an urgent priority to prevent further escalation of nuclear safety risks at the site.
As The Gaze reported earlier, on December 28, Russia and Ukraine reached a local ceasefire at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant.
Read also on The Gaze: Nuclear Risk Escalates as Russia Bombs Substations Powering Key Ukrainian Reactors