Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Loses External Power — Again

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine has lost its external power supply, raising fresh concerns about safety at Europe’s largest nuclear facility. The plant, which has been under Russian control since early in the war, was cut off from its last remaining external power line. It is now relying on emergency diesel generators to cool its reactors and manage other critical safety systems. This is not the first time the plant has lost outside power. Repeated outages have prompted warnings from international nuclear officials, who say the plant’s safety systems are increasingly fragile. Diesel generators are a temporary backup, not a long-term solution. If they fail, the plant could lose the ability to prevent a reactor meltdown. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly called for a stable power supply and a demilitarized zone around the plant. So far, neither has been established.