Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant resumes electricity supply to Ukraine

The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant resumed electricity supplies to Ukraine on Friday after one of its six reactors was reconnected to the Ukrainian grid, state nuclear company Energoatom said.

Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which is located in southern Ukraine, was disconnected from the Ukrainian grid for the first time in its history on Thursday after a fire caused by shelling damaged a powerline, Kyiv said earlier.

“The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station is connected to the grid and is producing electricity for the needs of Ukraine,” Energoatom said in a statement on Friday.

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Russia, which invaded Ukraine in February, took control of the nuclear plant in March, though it is still operated by Ukrainian technicians working for Energoatom.

“Today... at 14:04, one of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant’s power units that shut down yesterday was connected to the power grid,” Energoatom said. Kyiv is three hours ahead of GMT.

The nuclear plant supplied more than 20 percent of Ukraine’s electricity needs before the war and its loss would pile new strain on the government, which is already bracing for a difficult wartime winter of potentially crippling energy shortages.

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