Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant experiences another blackout

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has completely lost its external power supply, marking the 16th such blackout since the beginning of the year.

Source: Energoatom, a Ukrainian state-owned nuclear energy company

Details: At 02:36 on 8 November, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost power from its last operating 330 kV power line, Ferrosplavna-1, which connects it to Ukraine's power grid.

"An attempt to automatically reconnect the line was unsuccessful. The plant's own needs are currently being met exclusively by backup diesel generators," Energoatom said.

This is the 16th instance of the ZNPP completely losing its external power supply since the beginning of 2026. The plant's loss of power poses a critical threat to nuclear and radiation safety.

Operating in blackout mode creates a direct risk of failure of essential systems and nuclear fuel cooling if the diesel generators break down or run out of fuel, potentially leading to a radiation accident.

Background: Russia is deliberately disabling power lines supplying the ZNPP. More than half of the cases of the plant completely losing its external power supply since 2022 have occurred over the past seven months.

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