Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine has been off-grid for four consecutive days - its longest blackout to date - raising environmental and safety concerns. Ukraine and Russia on Saturday exchanged blame over the blackout experienced in the power plant.
"As a result of Russian actions, the Zaporizhzhia NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) has been without power for the fourth day," Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said on X.
Russia said the facility has been running on backup power since Tuesday, blaming Ukraine for striking the grid. “Since September 23, 2025, the power supply for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been provided by backup diesel generators,” the Moscow-installed operator said on Telegram. The operator added that there were sufficient reserves of diesel to operate for an “extended period.” Meanwhile, Greenpeace Ukraine non-governmental organization stated that “Emergency diesel generators are considered a last line of defense to be used only in extreme circumstances,” warning that Moscow could use the crisis “to try and reconnect [the plant] to the temporary Russian-occupied grid of Ukraine” to restart one of the reactors.
It should be noted that the six-reactor nuclear site, which is Europe’s largest nuclear facility, has frequently faced blackouts since Russia captured the plant in 2022, months, after launching its full-fledged invasion of Ukraine. Experts warn of a possible accident in the power plant.
External power has been lost at Zaporizhzhia nine times previously. Each time, the damage occurred in Ukrainian-controlled areas due to Russian attacks on energy infrastructure across the Dnipro River. The last remaining 750-kilovolt power line, which crossed the river, had been used by Ukraine to help ensure the plant's safety.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has raised environmental concerns. On Thursday, The United Nations atomic watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), issued a warning after a Russian drone detonated near a Ukrainian nuclear power plant. The IAEA also reported that the Zaporizhzhia plant had been without power for over 48 hours after external power lines, which are crucial for delivering electricity to cool the reactor fuel and avoid a meltdown, were cut for the tenth time during the conflict.
