Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant loses last external power line, runs on diesel generators

In brief

• The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost its last external power line on November 8 and runs on diesel generators.
• Energoatom counts this as the 16th complete loss of external power at the plant in 2026.
• The IAEA says the plant has about two weeks of diesel fuel, and no restoration time has been given.

Loss of the last external power line

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost its external power supply at 02:36 on November 8, when the 330 kV Ferrosplavna-1 line, its last working connection to Ukraine's grid, went down (ZNPP loses external power supply, switches to diesel generators – Ukrinform) (На Запорізькій АЕС стався 16 блекаут від початку року – Espreso). An automatic attempt to reconnect the line failed, so the plant's own needs are now met only by its backup diesel generators (На ЗАЭС произошел уже 16-й блэкаут с начала года: станция работает на генераторах – NV).

The plant's management under Russian control said the line had been shut off by automatic protection after damage, and that backup generators were supplying the equipment needed for safe operation (Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Loses External Power Supply, Russian-Installed Management Says – The Moscow Times). The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the interruption and said the cause had not yet been established (Ukraine - Von Russland kontrolliertes Atomkraftwerk Saporischschja wird mit Notstromaggregaten gekühlt – Deutschlandfunk).

Ukraine's assessment

Energoatom, Ukraine's state nuclear company, said this is the 16th complete loss of external power at the plant since the start of 2026. It warned that running on diesel carries a direct risk: if the generators fail or run out of fuel, cooling and life-support systems for the nuclear fuel could stop, which could lead to a radiation accident. Energoatom blamed the repeated outages on the occupation of the plant and said safety can only be restored if the site returns to Ukrainian control and its legitimate operator.

Fuel and cooling

The IAEA said the plant has enough fuel to run its diesel generators for about two weeks. The plant is not producing electricity, but it still needs power to cool its reactor fuel. Russian forces seized the site shortly after the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

What happens next

No reports give a time for restoring the Ferrosplavna-1 line. The plant will stay on diesel power until external supply returns.