UN watchdog: Ukrainian nuclear plant briefly loses power supply again, is ‘extremely vulnerable’

By SUSIE BLANN
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Officials say that Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest atomic power station, spent hours operating on emergency diesel generators after losing its external power supply for the seventh time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Monday the plant is “extremely vulnerable.” Hours later, national energy company Ukrenergo said on Telegram that it had restored the power line that feeds the plant. But for Grossi, it was another reminder of what’s at stake at the Russian-occupied plant which has seen shelling close by. A disruption of the electrical supply could disable the plant’s cooling systems which are essential for the reactors’ safety.