Europe's Largest Nuclear Plant Lost Grid 17th Time; 15 Reactors at Risk

Europe's largest nuclear plant, Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), lost its grid connection for the 17th time since Russia occupied it, marking the fifth blackout since January. The six-reactor facility, operating in 2026, relies on diesel generators when external power fails, with fuel trucked through a war zone. Western capitals, while fearing a Russian nuclear strike, have seemingly grown accustomed to the escalating threat of a nuclear disaster.

For the first time, a high-intensity war is being fought around 15 nuclear reactors in Ukraine. Over 500 missiles and drones were recorded within 30-km surveillance zones of Ukrainian nuclear power plants in 2025 alone, with more than 160 Russian UAVs flying over South Ukraine, Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, and Chornobyl NPPs on May 13-14, 2026. The total since February 2022 likely exceeds a thousand. On February 14, 2025, a Russian drone strike hit the former Chornobyl NPP, damaging a protective shield built after the 1986 disaster. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated that attacking a nuclear facility is an «absolute no-go».

Russia's seizure of the ZNPP in March 2022 created an unprecedented situation: a six-reactor nuclear facility on an active battlefield, controlled by a military force. The IAEA has repeatedly stressed that nuclear plants are not designed for combat conditions. This occupation has led to frequent shelling, power losses, and staff intimidation, breaking nearly every safeguarding principle. The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam on June 6, 2023, severely compromised the ZNPP's water supply, forcing the plant into a vulnerable state regarding long-term reactor cooling systems.

Russia's persistent strikes on Ukraine's energy system increase the risk of nuclear disaster by depriving facilities of reliable external power, forcing reliance on backup systems and reducing safety margins. The IAEA views attacks on electrical infrastructure as a nuclear safety issue. The current strategy is not working, and continued inaction raises the probability of a disaster the West has chosen to ignore.