A Blackout Occurred Again at the Occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP – Center for Investigative Journalism

The temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant 8 on November again remained without external power: this is the 16-th blackout since the start of the year. The ZNPP is currently operating on diesel generators.

This is reported by the National Nuclear Energy Company “Energoatom.”

“8 of November at 02:36 The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost power from the last operating line 330 kV “Ferrosplavnaya-1,” which provided its connection to the Ukrainian energy system. An attempt to automatically reconnect the line proved unsuccessful. The plant’s own needs are currently met solely by diesel generators,” the notice says.

As stated by Energoatom, this is already the 16-th case of a complete loss of external power at ZNPP since the start of 2026 year.

“The blackout of the plant poses a critical threat to nuclear and radiological safety. Operating in blackout mode creates a direct risk of failure of life-support and cooling systems for nuclear fuel in case of diesel-generator failure or depletion of their resource, which could lead to a nuclear accident,” Energoatom emphasized.

The company also noted that systematic loss of external power “is a consequence of the occupation of ZNPP.”

“Restoration of nuclear and radiological safety at the plant is possible only under conditions of its full return under Ukraine’s control and the legitimate operator – Energoatom,” the company added.

Reminder:

4 March 2022 year the occupiers captured Enerhodar and ZNPP next to the city. This is Europe’s largest nuclear power plant by size and the third-largest in the world. 5 October 2022 year Vladimir Putin signed a “decree” in which he instructed “to transfer to management of the Russian Federation” the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

At the end of 2024 year, Russians intensified actions around the captured ZNPP, all power units of which are currently in a state of “cold shutdown.” The joint-stock company “Exploitation Organization of Zaporizhzhia NPP” was granted a Russian license in the field of use of atomic energy, and from Rostov to Enerhodar construction of a new transmission line has begun. These and other actions may indicate ROSATOM’s intention to start up power units. How real is the prospect of resuming operation of Zaporizhzhia NPP and how dangerous is it, the Center for Investigative Journalism explored in the material: “Reactor blackmail: Russia claims preparation to resume operation of ZNPP.”

At the beginning of June 2025 year, the Director General of the IAEA Rafael Grossi emphasized that no reactor at Zaporizhzhia NPP can be restarted due to the unstable nuclear safety situation caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war.