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Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Loses External Power

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Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, seized by Russia during its war on neighboring Ukraine, has been forced to switch to a back-up power supply using diesel-powered generators after a loss of external power supply, operator Rosatom said on Thursday.

In a statement on its channel on the Telegram messaging app, Rosatom said the 330 kilovolt transmission line that supplies the plant was automatically disconnected due to damage to the line.

Back-up power from generators has been running without malfunctions, it said, adding that there were no changes to radiation levels at the site.

Reuters reports that the nuclear power plant is the largest in Europe, with six reactors but no longer produces power. Seized by Russia at the outset of its war on Ukraine, it still requires an external power supply to cool nuclear fuel.

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