The situation on the site of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which was destroyed in 1986 and is occupied by Russian troops in Ukraine, is becoming worrying, according to information from international organizations and the Ukrainian state nuclear energy operator.

The operating company Energoatom said on Wednesday that the power connection to the former power plant had been cut.

This poses the risk of radioactive substances escaping.

Work to restore the connection and the power supply is not possible because of the ongoing fighting, it said.

The government called on Russia to cease fire so that the emergency power line between Kyiv and Chernobyl could be repaired.

Stephen Lowenstein

Political correspondent based in Vienna.

  • Follow I follow

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is also urging that the workforce can be replaced for rest.

She has been there for two weeks.

Although no reactor is active in Chernobyl, radioactive waste is stored there that needs to be cooled.

"I am deeply concerned about the difficult and stressful situation faced by workers at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and the potential safety risks that this poses," said IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.

The 210 workers have access to water, food and some medical care, but their situation is deteriorating.

In addition, the IAEA is no longer connected to its surveillance equipment to ensure all nuclear material is in place.

According to Ukrainian authorities, the power failure is due to overhead power lines being damaged by hostilities.

The Chernobyl reactors are no longer operational, but they store spent fuel rods that need to be cooled.

The authorities fear that the temperature in the cooling water will rise so much that radioactivity will escape through evaporation.

The IAEA said the power outage violated one of the main pillars of nuclear safety.

In this case, however, there is no acute safety hazard.

The amount of cooling water is sufficient for effective heat dissipation even without a power supply.

The protective cover around the damaged reactor also requires constant maintenance and monitoring.

However, according to assessments at the IAEA location in Vienna, no acute hazards are to be feared here either.

Back-up electricity is provided by diesel generators, which usually come with a two-day supply.

"Even in the event of a complete failure of the power supply, it would take days in the worst case for a possible release of radioactive substances," announced the Austrian Ministry of Climate Protection.

Then the immediate surroundings in Ukraine and Belarus would be affected by a potential radiation exposure.