Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant suffers longest blackout of war, raising safety fears

The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has entered its longest external power outage since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported.

The plant has been without external electricity for over 48 hours, marking the tenth complete blackout at the ZNPP.

“It is currently relying on emergency diesel generators for the electricity it needs to cool its six shutdown reactors and other essential nuclear safety and security functions,” the IAEA said.

The situation poses a serious threat not only to Ukraine but also to European countries, Ukraine’s state-owned atomic energy agency Energoatom said.

“A power line supplying ZNPP from the Ukrainian energy grid was damaged following another provocation by Russian forces on Sept. 23,” Energoatom said.

According to the regulator, the line remains fully operational on territory controlled by Ukraine, and there are no technical obstacles preventing its use.

“Despite this, the occupiers deliberately refuse to reconnect the plant to the power supply while continuing a blatant disinformation campaign against Ukraine. In doing so, they are deliberately putting millions of people across the continent at risk,” Energoatom said.

The diesel generators are intended only for emergency use and cannot support the plant’s needs for an extended period.

“Their failure could lead to a loss of control over the facility’s nuclear safety,” the organization said, calling on the international community and partners to increase pressure on Russia and restore ZNPP under Ukraine’s control.