UN nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday, October 1st that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine remains safe for now—thanks to backup diesel generators and fuel reserves lasting over 10 days.
The Russian-occupied plant has been without power since September 23rd, the longest outage since Russia seized the facility in 2022.
IAEA Director Rafael Grossi warned that the situation is not sustainable for nuclear safety and urged both sides to restore the plant’s connection to the grid. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the situation “critical.”
The plant, Europe’s largest, has six reactors that previously provided about a fifth of Ukraine’s electricity.
Maintaining power is essential to keep cooling systems running and prevent a nuclear accident. The facility has faced repeated shelling, power cuts, and staff shortages since the start of the war.
