Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been without external power for seven straight days and is running on emergency diesel generators, an “extraordinary” situation he called unsafe and unprecedented. He delivered the message in a recorded video posted Tuesday on X.
According to Zelenskyy, Russian shelling severed the plant’s power lines and has stopped crews from reaching the site to make repairs. He said the station—Europe’s largest—was not designed to operate on backup power for this long and noted that one generator has already failed.
Zelenskyy described the standoff as a threat that extends beyond Ukraine’s borders. He argued that no group has ever “dared to do to a nuclear plant” what Russia is doing, and urged continued international attention until the grid connection and “basic safety” are restored.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in an update that it is working with both sides of the military conflict to help restore offsite power to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) as soon as possible. Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Tuesday.
“Europe’s largest nuclear power plant has been without external power for more than a week now, which is by far the longest lasting such event during more than three and a half years of war. I’m in constant contact with the two sides with the aim to enable the plant’s swift re-connection to the electricity grid,” Director General Grossi said.
The Russian military has not addressed Zelenskyy’s specific claims about the damaged lines.
What happens next hinges on access for repair teams and a safe reconnection to the electrical grid. Until then, the plant’s critical systems depend on diesel supplies and equipment never intended for prolonged use, Zelenskyy said.
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