The fighting forces an unprecedented disconnection of the Zaporizhia plant from the electricity grid

MADRID, 25 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces in the vicinity of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant has forced its disconnection from the Ukrainian electricity grid on Thursday, an unprecedented measure that exacerbates security concerns.

The plant was already only connected to the network by one of the four enabled points before the region became the scene of fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces, something that the International Atomic Energy Agency had already warned about ( IAEA).

The Ukrainian operator, Energoatom, has confirmed in a statement the complete disconnection, which it has attributed to "actions of the invaders". According to his version, the paralysis of the supply, "for the first time in the history of the plant", took place as a result of a fire in the vicinity, reports the UNIAN agency.

For its part, the Russian Energoatom has reported a cut in the electricity supply of the entire region due to a short circuit derived, in turn, from a fire in a field near the facilities, supposedly as a result of a bombing carried out by the Army Ukrainian, according to the Interfax news agency.

The director of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, has insisted in statements to France 24 on the need for an agency mission to visit the area to avoid possible accidents, although this would require an agreement that he hopes to finalize in the coming days.

Among the issues to be specified is the exact scope of the mandate of this mission, since, as Grossi himself has recalled, the IAEA does not have the capacity to force one party or another to leave the area. Since the beginning of March, the plant has been in Russian hands.

However, the inspectors will have security powers, for example to investigate attacks that may occur, according to diplomatic sources quoted by the Bloomberg news agency.