The Rivne, South Ukrainian, and Khmelnytsky nuclear power plants are back online after a series of Russian bombardments, Kyiv reported Thursday.
Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the head of Ukraine's state-operated energy network, confirmed that power was restored after all three were shut down on Wednesday, the first nationwide blackout in Ukraine's modern history.
"All three nuclear plants located on the controlled territory of Ukraine are already in operation, and they are gaining power," Kudrytskyi told state television. "After that, we will have the same or in a similar amount of generation to the one we had there a few days ago."
After Kudrytskyi's appearance, the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed his information, quoting an official statement from Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.
"Ukraine's four operational nuclear power plant sites all have access to the national grid again following a complete loss of off-site power earlier this week," the group wrote.
The IAEA also said that the "external power connection" in Zaporizhzhya had been re-established to maintain essential safety and security functions, despite the power plant still being shut down.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stressed to news outlet TACC Friday that "there is not a single thermal and hydroelectric power station that has not been fired upon" by Russia, as electricity suppliers provide 70% of all consumption needs in Ukraine.
"Almost all critical infrastructure in the country is connected [to electricity]: water utilities, sewerage systems, heating and communal energy, boiler houses, hospitals, gas distribution infrastructure, mines. 200 to 400 thousand consumers are de-energized in each region at certain hours," Shmyhal continued.
The power outage comes as international attention on Ukraine's energy grid is already at a tipping point following Russian and Ukrainian strikes near the contested Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, prompting its temporary closure.
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