Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Loses External Power

The Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine switched to emergency diesel generators on Thursday after damage to a high-voltage power line cut off its external electricity supply, according to the plant’s Russian-installed management.

The plant’s management said staff were monitoring the condition of its equipment and taking the necessary measures to keep the reactors safe. It also said radiation levels remained within normal limits.

With six reactors, Zaporizhzhia is Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. Although its reactors are shut down and the facility is not currently generating electricity, it still requires a continuous power supply to operate cooling systems and other equipment essential to nuclear safety. When external power is lost, emergency diesel generators provide that electricity.

The plant’s external power supply has become increasingly precarious. It has repeatedly lost off-site electricity during the war, forcing it to rely on emergency generators. Ukraine’s state nuclear operator Energoatom said last week that the facility had already experienced 26 blackouts since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, including 14 in 2026. It warned that repeated outages are wearing down equipment and increasing nuclear and radiation safety risks.

Russian forces seized the plant in the first weeks of the 2022 invasion. Moscow and Kyiv have since repeatedly accused each other of military activity around the facility that threatens its safety.

(Reuters, bak)