For more than a week, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant—Europe’s largest—has stood at the center of a worsening crisis, disconnected from Ukraine’s power grid and forced to rely on backup diesel generators. The situation, described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "critical," has sparked mounting fears of a nuclear incident, as international agencies, Ukrainian officials, and independent experts warn of unprecedented risks and political brinkmanship.
The current emergency began on September 23, 2025, when the last external power line supplying the Zaporizhzhia plant was severed. Since then, the facility has operated solely on diesel generators, a mode never intended for long-term use. According to Ukraine’s state nuclear operator Energoatom, these generators are designed for short-term emergencies—certainly not for the sustained demands now placed upon them. "Such a mode of operation is unprecedented, as the plant’s design did not foresee prolonged functionality of safety systems relying solely on diesel generators," explained Artem Nekrasov, First Deputy Minister of Energy, during a televised briefing reported by Ukrinform. "There is no reliable data on the guaranteed duration of uninterrupted operation or on their reliability under such a load, which, again, is not envisaged for them."
The loss of external power is not just a technical inconvenience; it’s a ticking time bomb. Nuclear plants, even when their reactors are shut down—as is the case at Zaporizhzhia—require constant electricity to keep cooling systems running and prevent fuel from overheating. The failure of diesel generators could lead to a catastrophic loss of cooling, with consequences that would extend far beyond Ukraine’s borders. "The potential consequences of the failure of safety systems at the ZNPP will be transboundary and pose a danger not only to Ukraine but also to many European countries," a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Energy Ministry told the Kyiv Independent.
This perilous state of affairs has been compounded by the inability to carry out planned maintenance. Progressive equipment degradation, lack of repairs, and the deteriorating morale of plant staff—many of whom have reportedly been pressured, detained, or worse—have only increased the risk of a critical failure. An investigation by Truth Hounds and Greenpeace Ukraine, published on September 24, detailed the unlawful detention and torture of staff by Rosatom, the Russian nuclear operator now controlling the site. The report indicated that 78 staff members were unlawfully detained, with six tortured to death.
Meanwhile, the political backdrop is every bit as volatile as the technical one. Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the Valdai International Discussion Club on October 2, doubled down on accusations that Ukraine was responsible for the blackout at Zaporizhzhia, despite mounting evidence to the contrary. He also issued a chilling threat: Russia could launch "mirror strikes" on Ukrainian nuclear plants in response to what he claimed were Ukrainian attacks on the occupied facility. "This is a dangerous game," Putin warned, as quoted by ORF.
Ukrainian officials and independent investigators have pushed back vigorously against Russia’s narrative. Greenpeace Ukraine, in a report published October 1, asserted there was no evidence of military strikes on the critical power line pylons, accusing Russia of deliberate sabotage. "They created the crisis, and they want to manage it as a political strategy. It's a very precise sabotage," said Jan Vande Putte, a nuclear expert with Greenpeace, to the Kyiv Independent. President Zelensky echoed this view, writing on October 1 that "Russia is deliberately creating the threat of radiation incidents, taking advantage, unfortunately, of the weak position of the IAEA and its director, Rafael Grossi, as well as the distraction of global attention."
According to Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Russia’s real aim is to disconnect the Zaporizhzhia plant from Ukraine’s grid and reconnect it to Russia’s—a move with both symbolic and practical implications for the war and for Russian control of occupied territories. "Russia deliberately cut power to the plant as part of preparations to reconnect it to its own grid," Sybiha stated on social media, as reported by Censor.NET. Greenpeace Ukraine’s September 27 report, using satellite imagery and Rosatom documents, confirmed that Russia intends to restart one of the reactors and link the plant’s output to the occupied territories and eventually to Russia itself.
The plant’s transformation from a civilian energy facility to a military bargaining chip has been stark. Dmytro Orlov, the mayor of Energodar (the plant’s host city), told the Kyiv Independent that "the nuclear power plant is no longer used as an energy facility, but is used exclusively for military purposes, and the goal is clear—international pressure. The occupiers are doing this (provocations) to use nuclear blackmail against the whole world."
Experts warn that the ongoing reliance on diesel generators is a dangerous gamble. Najmedin Meshkati, a professor at the University of Southern California, told the Kyiv Independent, "It’s a risky situation because emergency generators are big machines, and they could easily break down. They are reliable, but at the same time, (require) a high-maintenance type of machinery due to their wear and tear." He added, "No nuclear power plant in the world has ever been in the same situation as the ZNPP, and it is impossible to predict anything."
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has maintained a monitoring mission at the site since September 2022, but its access is frequently restricted by Russian authorities. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi stated that the agency is "in constant contact with the two sides with the aim to enable the plant’s swift re-connection to the electricity grid." The European Union has also weighed in, calling on Russia to "immediately cease all military operations around the nuclear plant" and withdraw its forces, denouncing the occupation as illegal in a statement issued September 30.
Back in Ukraine, Energoatom insists that the external power line on Ukraine-controlled territory remains operational and accuses Russian forces of misinformation and efforts to sow uncertainty. The company and Ukrainian officials stress the urgent need for reliable emergency power and the preservation of cooling systems to mitigate the mounting risks.
As the crisis drags on, the world watches with bated breath. The Zaporizhzhia plant’s predicament is not just another episode in the ongoing war; it is a high-stakes standoff with consequences that could reach far beyond the front lines. In the words of Professor Meshkati: "Nuclear plants are too important to be used as a bargaining chip or for political horse-trading or power plays. They are really too dangerous. If something goes wrong, everybody, the friend and foe, will be hurt equally."
With the plant’s fate hanging in the balance, the calls for international pressure, technical intervention, and a return to basic safety standards grow ever more urgent. The coming days will test not just the resilience of Zaporizhzhia’s machinery, but the resolve of the world to prevent a disaster that, once set in motion, could be impossible to contain.
