Crucial power line repairs have begun near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) following a local ceasefire brokered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the IAEA said on social media platform X on Sunday.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed gratitude to both Russia and Ukraine for agreeing to the temporary truce, describing it as a "window of silence" that would allow the restoration of power transmission between the switchyards of the ZNPP and the Zaporizhzhia Thermal Power Plant.
He said the work would help strengthen nuclear safety at the site.
The IAEA said its team is monitoring the repair work as part of the ongoing efforts to prevent a nuclear accident amid the military conflict.
According to the agency, the repairs are expected to take several days.
On December 15, power transmission between the ZNPP switchyard and the Zaporizhzhia Thermal Power Plant switchyard through the autotransformer became unavailable, significantly reducing the flexibility and resilience of the site's electrical configuration. An investigation conducted by the ZNPP identified damage to the transmission line between the autotransformer and the thermal power plant switchyard, reportedly caused by military activities.
The Zaporizhzhia plant, one of Europe's largest nuclear facilities, has been under Russian control since March 2022
Power line repair begins near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant under IAEA-brokered truce
Power line repair begins near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant under IAEA-brokered truce
Hong Kong's first astronaut lifted off into space on Sunday, sparking a wave of enthusiasm for space exploration in the special administrative region, while inspiring a new generation to look to the stars.
The Shenzhou-23 crewed spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 23:08 (Beijing Time) on Sunday. The crew members include Lai Ka-ying, the first astronaut and payload specialist from Hong Kong to join a national space mission, whose achievements have motivated many Hong Kong residents.
"I feel so happy and thrilled. This is the first time a Hong Kong astronaut has gone to space, and to see a true Hong Konger, who is also a mother of three, just really touches my heart," said Chow, a local resident.
The successful spaceflight of Lai has especially captivated the younger generation to dream bigger about the future.
"I want to be an astronaut, because I want to discover more things about space," said a young student surnamed Chow.
"I have seen things related to spaceflights of astronauts. I hope when I grow up, I could receive training and go to space myself," said another student surnamed Koo.
To meet public expectations, the Hong Kong Space Museum has updated its space-themed exhibition with the latest development of the Shenzhou-23 mission, extending the display until July 6. Parents are seizing the moment to enrich their children's knowledge.
"At his age, I want him to be exposed to a wide range of information. With all the recent astronaut news, I brought him here specially to see for himself. We will also check out a film about space knowledge at the planetarium. I hope he can get more out of this from an early age," said Cheung, a father.
"We just watched the Shenzhou-23 launch at home with my son last night, and decided to take him to the Space Museum," a mother surnamed Chun shared.
"I saw on TV that so many people were cheering for the launch. When the rocket was launched, fire burst out from its body. I was really happy they succeeded," said Chun's son.
Hong Kong's first astronaut ignites citywide enthusiasm over space exploration
