Published On 11/6/2026
The International Atomic Energy Agency announced on Thursday that a nighttime bombing caused the external electricity grid to be cut off from the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in Ukraine, which is under Russian control.
The agency explained in a statement that the strike targeted, yesterday, Wednesday, an electricity substation that feeds the nuclear facility.
She confirmed that the facility currently relies on emergency diesel generators to operate the cooling systems of its six suspended reactors, and to ensure the maintenance of basic nuclear safety functions.
The Zaporozhye plant is located in southern Ukraine. It is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, and one of the 10 largest nuclear power plants in the world. It contains 6 nuclear reactors, and fell under the control of Russian forces in March 2022.
In the same context, the agency reassured that it had not detected any radiation leakage, noting that radiation levels are still within normal levels, and this is the nineteenth outage of the station’s external power source since the outbreak of war in February 2022.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned that repeated power outages “highlight the fragility of the electricity grid and the dangers facing nuclear safety during war.”
The station is preparing to repair the main power line that has been broken since March 24, as it is located near the confrontation line in southern Ukraine.
It is noteworthy that Russian forces took control of the Zaporozhye station in the first days of the war, and the Russian and Ukrainian sides exchange constant accusations of exposing the region to the danger of a nuclear disaster as a result of repeated attacks near the facility.
