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Situation at Zaporozhye nuke plant 'extremely vulnerable' due to power outage — IAEA chief

"We must agree to protect plant now; this situation cannot continue," Rafael Grossi said

VIENNA, May 22. /TASS/. The Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP) lost external electric power supply on Monday morning so currently the nuclear safety situation at the facility is "extremely vulnerable," IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said.

"Ukraine’s ZNPP this morning lost all external electricity for 7th time during conflict, forcing it to rely on emergency diesel generators for power; nuclear safety situation at the plant extremely vulnerable. We must agree to protect plant now; this situation cannot continue," he wrote on Twitter.

Earlier, the nuclear facility’s press service reported that the plant’s external power supply was interrupted due to a high-voltage electric power line shutting down. According to the press service, the radiation background on the nuclear plant’s premises, in the sanitary safety zone and the observation zone was within the norm.

Located in Energodar, the Zaporozhye nuclear facility, with roughly 6GW of capacity, is the largest of its kind in Europe. Russia took control of the plant on February 28, 2022, in the first days of its special military operation in Ukraine.

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IAEA Rafael Grossi

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