Zaporizhzhya NPP suffers tenth blackout since the beginning of occupation – Ministry of Energy

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was left without electricity on Tuesday, September 23. This is the tenth blackout since the start of the Russian occupation of the plant, , the Ministry of Energy reported.

According to the ministry, at 16:56 today, the only power line through which Zaporizhzhya NPP was receiving power from the Ukrainian grid was disconnected. The ministry did not specify the reasons for the blackout.

"ZNPP switched to powering its own needs from diesel generators. This is a significant violation of the conditions for normal operation of the plant," the statement reads.

During the occupation, ZNPP has repeatedly suffered power outages due to Russian shelling and damage to energy infrastructure, the ministry reminded.

"Today's incident once again proves that the Russian occupation is the main threat to the safe operation of the ZNPP," they said .

The Energy Ministry called on the international community to increase pressure on the Russians to demilitarize and de-occupy the plant as soon as possible. The return of ZNPP under full and legitimate control of Ukraine is the only way to restore nuclear safety in the region, they emphasized .

the 69th IAEA General Conference, held on September 15-19 in Vienna, adopted a resolution calling on Russia to immediately de-occupy the ZNPP. The resolution document entitled "Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguards in Ukraine" was supported by 62 member states.

• At the end of May 2025, Greenpeace reported that Russians in the occupied Ukrainian territories of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions are building a new power line to restart ZNPP .
• On May 29, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said that sees no signs that Russia is preparing to restart the occupied ZNPP.
• On June 6, the Russians directly stated that Rosatom already has a plan for the phased commissioning of ZNPP and has begun to build a floating pumping station to cool the reactors .
• On June 12, 48 countries at a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors issued a joint statement in which categorically rejected any attempts to restart reactors under occupation.