A shell fell at the Zaporiza nuclear power plant facility in Ukraine, which has raised concerns about a radioactive material leak amid the fighting between Russia and Ukraine, damaging power lines again.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement on the 7th (local time) that it had received a report that the external 150kV power line was damaged due to shelling damage to the facilities outside the Japorija nuclear power plant the day before.
When the power line was cut, an emergency diesel generator operated for an hour and a half to supply power to the reactor, the IAEA explained.
Damage to power lines connected to nuclear power plants can lead to serious accidents.
If power is not supplied to the cooling system in a nuclear power plant, nuclear reactor overheating may cause core melting (meltdown) in which the fuel rod bundles melt, and a serious accident may occur in which radioactive materials are leaked.
Six of the Zaporiza reactors are currently out of service.
However, the power supply is still needed to perform its minimal safety function, and another shelling fire has destroyed the power line.
At the Japoriza nuclear power plant, the same power line was damaged by shelling on the 21st of last month and was restored.
With the power line damage recurring in two weeks, the IAEA pointed out that measures to ensure the safety of nuclear power plants are urgently needed.
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said, "The skilled workers at nuclear power plants are looking for ways to overcome the problem, but this is not a sustainable way to operate a nuclear power plant."