Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant's Power Crisis: Europe's Largest Facility on Edge

Growing safety concerns loom over Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which has been deprived of external electricity for over a week. The facility, now controlled by Russian forces, stopped grid supply but needs power to maintain reactor and spent fuel cooling, currently sustained by emergency generators.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, emphasized the urgency of reinstating external power. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy termed the situation critical, cautioning against prolonged reliance on backup systems. The plant faces its longest outage since Russia's 2022 invasion.

Amid ongoing conflict, power supply restoration efforts are underway with talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials. Despite steady generator rotation, any disruption could heighten risk, reminiscent of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. As tensions persist, Ukraine accuses Russia of sabotage, an allegation Moscow dismisses.