Russian forces again cut power supply to Chernobyl plant, operator says

March 14 (UPI) -- After some power was restored over the weekend, electricity was out again at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station in central Ukraine on Monday, utility officials said.

Ukrenergo, Ukraine's national energy company that operates Chernobyl, said that supply lines to the plant were damaged again by Russian forces -- again causing concern that it could lead to a possible radiation leak.

Ukrenergo said emergency crews had partly repaired the lines over the weekend when Russian forces struck again.

"The line was put under tension and began the restoration of the energy fuel infrastructure," Ukrenergo said in a statement posted to its Facebook page. "However, this work was not completed because the invaders recently damaged the line again.

"The repair crew ... is forced to go again to the occupied territory near the Chernobyl [plant], to search and eliminate new damage."

The abandoned city of Pripyat, Ukraine, is seen near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. At one time it housed the plant's workers, but has been entirely deserted since the nuclear disaster in April 1986. File Photo by Sergey Starostenko/UPI

Ukrenergo said the plant, which had been operating on generators since it was first attacked, cannot be left without a reliable power source. It also said that the nearby town of Slavutich depends on the same power lines.

"The uninterrupted and quick permit of the Ukrenergo repair brigade to this line for inspections and repairs is extremely important not only for Ukrainian consumers but also for Europe as a whole," the utility company added.

"This will help avoid a repeat disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and save the lives and health of people who might become its victims."

The plant has not had full power since March 9 when Russian troops attacked and seized control of the facility. Russia also has control of Ukraine's Zaporizhia nuclear power plant.

Ukraine's nuclear regulator told the International Atomic Energy Agency on Sunday that a staff of 211 technical workers and guards still had not been able to leave due to the fighting. Workers at the plant are supposed to be rotated out by other crews, but the war has prevented replacement workers from reaching the site.

Chernobyl became the site of one of the world's worst nuclear accidents in 1986 when reactor No. 4 exploded during an engineering test. Officials later found that the plant's nuclear core had partially melted down.