UN praises grain efforts that aid world

UNITED NATIONS/KYIV－More than 1 million metric tons of Ukrainian foodstuffs have been shipped this month under a grain deal, the United Nations said, as the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has been reconnected to the electricity grid, Ukraine's state-run nuclear energy operator Energoatom said on Friday.

Millions of tons of food from previous harvests in Ukraine still need to be cleared to make room in silos for the next one, the UN coordinator for a grains deal said on Saturday.

More than 1 million tons of grains and other foods have been exported under a grains deal brokered by Turkiye and the UN.

"The Black Sea Grain Initiative has started creating some space, but much more grain needs to shift to make space for the new harvest," said Amir Abdulla, UN coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

The flow of grain under the Black Sea grain deal has driven down prices, reduced the risk of food insecurity and allowed the World Food Programme to restart wheat purchases from Ukraine for drought-hit countries such as Ethiopia and Yemen.

On July 22, Ukraine and Russia separately signed a deal with Turkiye and the United Nations in Istanbul to resume grain shipments from Ukrainian ports to international markets via the Black Sea. The Joint Coordination Center, or JCC, was inaugurated in Istanbul later to monitor the implementation of grain shipments from Ukraine.

The JCC has enabled dozens of voyages through the Black Sea, the UN said. On Saturday teams conducted the 100th inspection on board approved cargo vessels.

On Friday, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has been reconnected to the electricity grid, Ukraine's state-run nuclear energy operator Energoatom said.

The plant has already started generating electricity for Ukraine's needs after one of its units shut down on Thursday was reconnected to the power supply system, Energoatom said on Telegram. All equipment and safety systems at the plant were operating normally, it said.

On Thursday, Energoatom said the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was disconnected from the power grid for the first time in its history after fires at ash pits stopped the last power line from working.

The plant is one of Europe's largest nuclear power plants and generates a quarter of Ukraine's total electricity. It has been controlled by Russian forces since early March, but its Ukrainian staff has continued to operate it. In recent weeks, Ukraine and Russia have traded accusations of strikes on the facility.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant had been shelled twice by Ukrainian forces with large-caliber artillery over the past day.

Four munitions exploded following the shelling in the area of the nuclear power plant's oxygen-nitrogen unit, and another one in the area of the special building No 1, the ministry said.

Rising energy costs

As the conflict drags on, Europe is bracing for rising energy costs.

Germany's economy ministry said on Saturday that it was extending the deadline of a 5 billion euro ($4.98 billion) aid package for energy-intensive companies and was refining details of the program intended to help firms cope with soaring power costs.

Companies can apply until the end of September for subsidies of up to 50 million euros for their increased natural gas and electricity costs, it said.

UK's energy regulator said on Friday that energy bills will rise 80 percent to an average of 3,549 pounds ($4,160) a year from October.

Agencies - Xinhua