The power supply to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine is critically endangered as fuel stocks for its emergency generators dwindle, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned on Saturday.
The plant has now been without external power for more than a week and is reliant on the diesel generators, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said.
It was reported that diesel supplies had temporarily been sufficient for only 10 days before several dozen tons of fuel were delivered from outside the site this week.
"The current situation once again shows why reliable external power and secure supply routes are indispensable for nuclear safety and security," said Grossi.
Without the restoration of the external power supply or additional deliveries of diesel in the near future, "the plant could face a station blackout within approximately 10 days," Grossi warned.
IAEA seeks local ceasefire for repair work
The IAEA is reportedly working to establish a zone for a localized ceasefire to enable repairs to a key power line. If successful, these repairs would restore the nuclear power station's external power supply.
The Zaporizhzhya plant, with six reactors, is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. It came under Russian control shortly after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022 and has been struck multiple times since.
The reactors are shut down but must continue to be cooled. The IAEA has a permanent team on site to monitor the situation.