Ukrainian nuclear plant temporarily cut off from power grid

By FRANK JORDANS and HANNA ARHIROVA
Associated Press

NIKOPOL, Ukraine (AP) — The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in the middle of the fighting in Ukraine was temporarily cut off from the electrical grid because of fire damage. That caused a blackout in the region and heightened fears of a catastrophe in a country haunted by the Chernobyl disaster. The plant has been occupied by Russian forces since the early days of the war. The government in Kyiv alleges Russia is essentially holding the plant hostage, storing weapons there and launching attacks from around it. Moscow accuses Ukraine of recklessly firing on it. On Thursday, Ukraine’s nuclear power operator said the plant was cut off from the grid after fires damaged a transmission line. The damaged line apparently carried outgoing electricity — and a Russian official said the region briefly lost power.