KYIV, May 15 - Zaporizhia NPP has been relying on one power line for over a week to supply electricity for its own needs, as military operations prevent Ukrenergo from restoring the connection of the backup line, said Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"The ZNPP’s only remaining 330 kilovolt (kV) back-up line was disconnected on 7 May, leaving the plant entirely dependent on the only functioning 750 kV line. The IAEA was informed that the damage occurred in Ukrainian-controlled territory some distance away from the plant and that the Ukrainian grid operator cannot currently carry out repairs due to the active military situation in this area," reads the report.

"The IAEA team has continued to hear military activities every day over the past week, with explosions at different distances from the ZNPP and early on Tuesday morning, the team also heard gun fire and what appeared to be the sound of a drone," it reads.

"The team observed a loose screw on two of the emergency diesel generators (EDGs), and saw indications that some activities may have recently been conducted on one of them. The ZNPP stated that there had not been any maintenance performed recently but acknowledged that the screws should not have been loose, one of which they said was due to vibrations. The IAEA team plan to observe scheduled testing of one of these EDGs in the coming days," the agency said.

As reported with reference to the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, on May 7, as a result of Russian shelling, Zaporizhia NPP once again lost power to one of the two external power transmission lines connecting the temporarily occupied NPP with the unified power system of Ukraine. (om/ez)