Repair work begins on Ukrainian nuclear plant's power lines

IAEA and Russian cooperation ensure safety amid the ongoing conflict

Repair work has started on damaged off-site power lines to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant following a four-week outage, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said on Saturday.

The work began after local ceasefire zones were established to allow the work to proceed, Grossi added in a post on the social media platform X.

The Russian-appointed management of the plant confirmed the maintenance work, saying it was made possible by "close cooperation" between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom.

The Russian Defence Ministry will play a key role in ensuring the safety of the repair work, the plant said on Saturday via its Telegram channel.

Russian forces seized the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe's largest, in the first weeks of Moscow's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

It is not currently generating electricity but relies on external power to keep the nuclear material cool and prevent a serious accident.