Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant's Last External Power Line Restored After 19-Day Outage

Repair crews restored the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant's Ferosplavna-1 external power line on September 8, ending a 19-day outage that had forced the plant to rely on emergency diesel generators to cool its six shut-down reactors and spent fuel pools since the line was severed on August 20 by fighting north of the Dnipro River. The repair was made possible by a seventh IAEA-brokered localized ceasefire, which took effect around September 5-6 to allow demining and technical work near the plant. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the plant's safety systems returned to normal operation, diesel generators were switched to standby, and radiation levels at the site remained normal throughout. Grossi credited both sides for engaging 'constructively with the IAEA to help make this localised ceasefire possible.'