The Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, located in southeastern **Ukraine, has once again lost its external electricity supply and is relying on emergency backup generators to maintain cooling of its nuclear fuel, according to plant authorities and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, is currently not generating electricity but still requires a continuous power supply to safely cool its reactors and spent nuclear fuel. The IAEA said the facility lost access to off-site electricity after the Ferosplavna power line was disconnected.
According to the UN nuclear watchdog, the cause and location of the outage have not yet been determined.
“The cause and location of the latest disconnection are not yet known,” the IAEA said.
The agency noted that the plant currently has sufficient fuel reserves to operate a limited number of emergency diesel generators for approximately two weeks if external power cannot be restored.
The IAEA also reported that the facility’s main Dniprovska power line has remained unavailable since October, increasing concerns about the plant’s long-term power security.
Earlier this year, a local ceasefire arrangement supported by the IAEA enabled repair work aimed at restoring external electricity supplies after the plant had been without reliable outside power since August.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which consists of six reactors, was seized by Russian forces during the early stages of the war following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, both Moscow and Kyiv have repeatedly accused each other of military actions that threaten nuclear safety around the site.
The plant’s Russian-installed management said the Ferosplavna line had been disconnected automatically by safety protection systems and stressed that radiation levels remained within normal limits.
In a statement, plant officials said:
“Staff at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are monitoring all operational parameters of the equipment. All necessary measures to maintain the safe condition of the power units are being taken in full.”
The latest outage highlights ongoing concerns among international nuclear experts about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure amid the conflict and the importance of maintaining stable power supplies to ensure nuclear safety.
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