Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
According to the company normally running the plant, it has now suffered 13 blackouts since coming under Russian occupation.
With 11 major nuclear power plants at home, you’d think Russia knows how to keep a nuclear power plant running—even if it’s not their own.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian forces have had control of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), in southeastern Ukraine, and a recent outage of the power supply for the plant has raised concerns about whether the Russians actually know what they are doing.
Energoatom, which operates all four nuclear power plants in Ukraine, reported that the ZNPP temporarily lost connection to Ukraine’s power grid on April 14.
The outage lasted roughly 90 minutes before supply was restored.
The operator blamed what it described as “incompetent actions” by Russian forces in occupied territory. Backup systems were immediately activated to maintain essential operations.
“At the station, 19 backup diesel generators were automatically launched. Within an hour and a half, external power supply to the ZNPP was restored,” Energoatom said.
Rising safety risks
According to the state-run Ukrainian media outlet United24Media, the plant has faced repeated disruptions since its occupation, with Energoatom warning that continued Russian control creates long-term dangers.
According to the company, ZNPP has now experienced 13 blackout events.
“A nuclear power plant must return as soon as possible under the control of Ukraine and its legitimate operator—Energoatom. Only this can prevent the development of the worst-case scenario for the entire European continent,” the company stated.
Chernobyl concerns
Elsewhere, attention has turned to the Chornobyl site, where damage from a February 2025 drone strike has raised fresh questions about containment safety.
Greenpeace nuclear specialist Shaun Burnie warned that parts of the original protective structure could become unstable over time.
“The problem is that the New Safe Confinement is a hermetic environment—at least it was before February 14 last year. Now it effectively no longer is,” Burnie said.
Broader nuclear threat
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has linked such incidents to ongoing Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, warning of heightened nuclear risks.
He said repeated strikes have forced operational reactors to reduce output and trigger automatic shutdowns.
“Each such situation is a direct threat,” Sybiha wrote on X, adding that no disaster has occurred so far only “thanks to the professionalism of Ukrainian nuclear energy professionals.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency has also reported drone activity near other nuclear sites, describing it as a serious safety concern.
Sources: United24Media, Energoatom, Greenpeace, statements by Ukrainian officials
