Blackout at Zaporizhzhia NPP amid Russian missile strikes

That’s according to NAEC Energoatom’s press service, Ukrinform reports.

"Today, March 9, at 3:53am, as a result of the missile attacks by the ruscists, the last remaining power line linking the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP to the Ukrainian power system was disconnected. Currently, the plant is de-energized and has gone into blackout mode – for the sixth time since its capture. Power units 5 and 6 are being put in a cold state, 18 diesel generators were turned on to cover the ZNPP's own power needs. There is enough fuel to run the generators for 10 days. The countdown has begun," the statement reads.

As emphasized by Energatom, if the external power supply cannot be renewed throughout this time, an accident involving a radiation threat may occur, with implications for the whole world.

All Ukrainian nuclear power plants located in the territory controlled by the government have unloaded their capacity due to the threat of missile attacks. As of 6:30am, all power units provide to the energy system a total of 4,700 MW, Energoatom noted.

"Due to the capture of the NPP and interference in its operations on the part of Rosatom staffers, the opportunities available to the Ukrainian side to maintain the ZNPP in a safe mode are significantly limited. Currently, the entire international community must act urgently to remove ruscist terrorist groups from the territory of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and return full control of the station to the competent legitimate operator, which is Ukrainian Energoatom, and restore conditions for maintaining the nuclear, radiation, and physical safety of the nuclear facility," the statement emphasized.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, emergency power outages are being applied across Ukraine due to the missile attack that affected a number of regions overnight Thursday.