The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has once again lost its external power supply, as confirmed by Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on the evening of April 16.
This incident marks the second power loss in less than a week and the fourteenth occurrence since the onset of the conflict, Grossi noted.
“The connection was restored approximately 40 minutes later. The cause of the power loss is currently unknown. The IAEA team on site is investigating and monitoring the situation,” Grossi stated.
He described the loss of external power as indicative of the ongoing instability surrounding nuclear safety at the facility.
Previously, the plant experienced a similar power outage on the morning of April 14, which was resolved on the same day.
All six reactors at the Zaporizhzhia plant have been in cold shutdown since 2022. The IAEA maintains a continuous presence at the site to oversee safety amid ongoing military activities.
The plant, which is the largest nuclear facility in Europe, was seized by Russian forces in the early weeks of their invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Currently, the facility is not generating electricity, and both Ukraine and Russia routinely accuse each other of military actions that jeopardize nuclear safety.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has lost its external power supply for the second time in less than a week, raising concerns about nuclear safety. The IAEA is actively monitoring the situation as investigations into the cause of the outage continue.