ISTANBUL

The International Atomic Energy Agency (​​IAEA) on Sunday announced the start of repairs near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) amid a local ceasefire brokered by the UN nuclear watchdog.

Citing its Director General Rafael Grossi, a statement by the IAEA on US social media company X said that “crucial power line repairs” began near the facility, where the agency’s team is monitoring the repairs, which are expected to last “a few days.”

The statement noted the repairs are part of “persistent efforts to prevent nuclear accident during military conflict,” going on to cite Grossi thanking both Russia and Ukraine for agreeing to the halt.

“Grossi thanks both sides for agreeing to this new temporary ‘window of silence’ in order to restore power transmission between switchyards of ZNPP and Zaporizhzhya Thermal Power Plant, strengthening nuclear safety,” it said.

Earlier this month, the IAEA said that power transmission between the ZNPP switchyard and the Zaporizhzhia thermal plant (ZTPP) switchyard through the autotransformer became unavailable.

“Following an investigation conducted by the ZNPP, damage to the transmission line was detected between the autotransformer and the ZTPP switchyard, reportedly due to military activity,” it said in a statement on Dec. 19.

It noted that the ZNPP reported to the agency’s team at the plant that access to the affected area cannot be granted for security reasons, due to which the plant is investigating ways to repair the line.

The situation around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest and one of the world’s 10 biggest, particularly remains tense as concerns persist over a possible nuclear disaster involving Moscow and Kyiv, both of which have frequently accused each other of attacks around the facility.

Since Sept. 1, 2022, IAEA personnel have been present at the plant, which has been under Russian control since March 2022.