Power Loss and Emergency Measures
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine has been without external power for more than a week, forcing it to rely on emergency diesel generators, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The plant, which Russia has occupied since 2022, has a 10-day diesel supply on site, the IAEA said on Saturday.
The IAEA has warned about the plant's reliance on backup power. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the availability of diesel fuel is of paramount importance whenever a nuclear plant loses off-site power. The plant has not received diesel deliveries from an off-site storage facility in about six months but was supplied on Thursday and Friday from another off-site location, the IAEA said.
Ukrainian official Gyund Mamedov, deputy head of military law enforcement, said this marks the 27th blackout at the plant since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. The IAEA has maintained a permanent presence at the site since September 2022.
Repairs and Ceasefire Efforts
According to TASS, personnel at the plant are focused on restoring external power supply and ensuring the stable operation of all systems. Yevgenia Yashina, communications director of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), told TASS that the main efforts are directed at restoring external power and maintaining safe conditions of the power units. The plant reported losing external power on August 20 after an automatic shutdown disconnected its last operational line, Ferrosplavnaya-1. Yashina said the damage to the line occurred on the right bank of the Dnieper River, an area under Ukrainian control.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that diesel fuel availability is crucial whenever a nuclear plant loses off-site power. The agency has been pressing for a local ceasefire to allow repairs to the power lines, with Grossi saying on August 29 that the IAEA is seeking a ceasefire to accelerate repair work.
Diesel Supply and Logistics
The plant has a 10-day diesel supply on site, according to the IAEA. It had not received deliveries from an off-site storage facility in about six months, but was supplied on Thursday and Friday from another off-site location, the agency said. Personnel have been managing generator use to conserve fuel, according to Yevgenia Yashina, communications director of the Zaporizhzhia plant, who spoke to Russia's TASS news agency.
Background and IAEA Presence
The IAEA has maintained a permanent presence at the site since September 2022, after Russia took control of the facility in March of that year. The plant, situated on the banks of the Dnipro River, sits along the front line of the conflict.
On Friday, the IAEA reported drone activity near the plant that injured two employees, though the agency did not attribute responsibility. Earlier this month, a drone strike near the plant killed a nuclear specialist and wounded others; Moscow blamed Kyiv for that attack.
Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of nuclear blackmail. In 2024, footage showed a fire in one of the plant's cooling towers, which Ukraine said was caused by Russian actions. Ukraine's deputy head of military law enforcement, Gyunduz Mamedov, said this is the 27th blackout at the plant since the full-scale invasion began.
The plant sits on the banks of the Dnieper River, which forms the front line in the area.
Efforts to Restore Power
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) declared the loss of external power on August 20, according to TASS, which quoted ZNPP Communications Director Yevgenia Yashina. An automatic shutdown cut off the plant's last operating power line, forcing a switch to diesel generators. Yashina said personnel are working to restore external power and maintain safe conditions.
The plant has not received diesel deliveries from an off-site storage facility in about six months, but was supplied on Thursday and Friday from another off-site location, the IAEA reported.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has said that the availability of diesel fuel is crucial when a nuclear plant loses off-site power. The IAEA has had a permanent presence at the site since September 2022.
Safety Concerns and Casualties
The IAEA reported three drone incidents at the plant on Friday, injuring two employees, but did not attribute responsibility. Earlier this month, a drone strike near the plant killed one nuclear specialist and wounded 17 others; Ukrainian officials accused Russia of nuclear blackmail, while Moscow blamed Kyiv. In 2024, footage showed a fire in one of the plant's cooling towers, prompting Ukraine to accuse Russia of nuclear blackmail.
The plant, situated on the banks of the Dnieper River, demarcates the front line between Ukrainian and Russian forces. The IAEA has maintained a permanent presence at the site since September 2022, following Russia's takeover of the facility in March of that year.
Diesel Supply and Repair Efforts
Ukrainian official Gyunduz Mamedov, deputy head of military law enforcement, said on Saturday that this was the 27th blackout at the plant since the full-scale invasion began. The IAEA noted that the plant has not received diesel deliveries from an off-site storage facility in about six months, although it was supplied on Thursday and Friday from another location.
ZNPP Communications Director Yevgenia Yashina told TASS that personnel are concentrating on restoring external power supply and ensuring stable operation of all systems. The plant switched to diesel generators after the August 20 power loss, she said, and staff have been managing fuel consumption carefully following disruptions to deliveries caused by attacks she attributed to Ukrainian forces.