Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear plant, gets power again: NPR

A Russian soldier patrols the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in May.

Andrey Borodulin / AFP via Getty Images

Hide caption

Caption switch

Andrey Borodulin / AFP via Getty Images

A Russian soldier patrols the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in May.

Andrey Borodulin/AFP via Getty Images

Officials of the United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency have announced that the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine has restored some energy. It comes amid fears that the total loss of electricity could cause a nuclear accident.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, called the recovery of energy “a temporary relief in a situation that remains untenable.”

“The protection zone is now required,” Sunday books.

The Ukrainian factory stopped Saturday morning after The Russian bombing caused the destruction of the last external source of energy. Nuclear plants rely on electricity to run their safety and cooling equipment. without him, Collapse can happen.

This is it one of many times The plant has lost external power in recent weeks.

Ukrainian authorities have tried to use the plant’s reactor and standby generators to supply some power, but these two Not considered sustainable measures.

Rescuers use a hose to put out a fire in an apartment building damaged after a raid in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia on Sunday.

Marina Moiseenko/AFP via Getty Images

Hide caption

Caption switch

Marina Moiseenko/AFP via Getty Images

Rescuers use a hose to put out a fire in an apartment building damaged after a raid in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhia on Sunday.

Marina Moiseenko/AFP via Getty Images

The six reactor plant is the largest in Europe. captured and Occupied by Russian forces since Marchalthough some Ukrainian workers Still working in the factory. The city is the capital of the Zaporizhzhia region, one of the four Ukrainian regions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Illegally attached Last month.

Efforts to prevent a radioactive catastrophe were also hampered by the fact that the city was a frequent target of Russian explosions. Not only did that leave the plant in jeopardy, but also the local people who depend on it to generate electricity.