Zaporizhzhia plant down to diesel generators as shelling cuts power essential for cooling

Even though six reactors have been shut down, they still require a steady supply of electricity to keep nuclear fuel cool and prevent catastrophe.

Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the shelling at Europe's largest nuclear plant. This has caused damage to buildings and threatened a nuclear disaster. To prevent any further shelling, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is calling for a protection area to be established.

Petro Kotin (head of Ukraine's nuclear state company Energoatom) spoke on BBC World News Saturday to warn that diesel generators have a limited fuel supply at the moment.

He said: "Right now, we are working to provide more fuel for these generators."

Energoatom didn't immediately respond to a question about the status of negotiations between Russian authorities concerning fuel supply to the plant.

Kotin stated that if the generators run out of fuel they will stop and then there will be disaster. There will be a melting and release of radioactivity.

The nuclear plant is located in Zaporizhzhia, which was recently annexed to Russia. This move was criticized by Ukraine and its allies for being an imperial landgrab.

The Russian government published a decree on Saturday to establish a company to take control of this plant. This was in accordance with President Vladimir Putin's order on 5 October.

Two IAEA observers were present at the plant to confirm Energoatom’s claim that the plant switched to its diesel generators following shelling at 1 a.m. The main 750 kilovolt supply line to the plant was cut by the IAEA.

"The resumption shelling, which hit the plant's only source of external power, was extremely irresponsible." In a statement, Rafael Grossi, the chief of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, said that it must be "protected".

The IAEA stated that all the plant's safety system continue to receive power and operate normally. They were informed by senior Ukrainian operational staff.

Grossi was in discussions with Russia and Ukraine about setting up a protective zone around the plant. However, he declined to give details or explain how it would be enforced. Grossi was in Kyiv Thursday and will be heading to Russia next week.

"I will soon travel in the Russian Federation and then return to Ukraine to negotiate a zone of nuclear safety and security around the plant." Grossi stated that this is an urgent and absolute necessity.

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