Zelensky Alerts of Urgent Crisis at Nuclear Facility Amid Power Failure

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed deep concerns about a “critical” situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, which has been without external power for over a week due to ongoing military activity. Emergency diesel generators have been activated to keep essential cooling systems operational for the six shutdown reactors and spent fuel pools.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi highlighted that while the backup generators are functional, they are not a sustainable long-term solution for nuclear safety. He underscored the urgent need to restore the external power supply for the plant’s ongoing safety. Grossi has been in discussions with Russian and Ukrainian officials to hasten the reconnection of the plant to the grid.

The Zaporizhzhia plant has undergone several power disruptions since the onset of conflict, with the latest incident occurring on September 23, when its last operational power line was damaged by military actions close to the facility. The IAEA has confirmed that eight emergency diesel generators are currently active, with nine additional generators on standby and three undergoing maintenance. The plant is alternating between using and servicing these generators to ensure they remain operational.

Zelensky has blamed the power outage on Russian artillery fire, while Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has claimed it was due to Ukrainian shelling. The overall situation at the Zaporizhzhia plant remains unstable, with continued military activities posing significant risks to nuclear safety and the surrounding region.