On the night of June 3, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant temporarily lost external power supply due to the disconnection of the “Ferosplavna-1” power line. This was caused by a drone strike on the “Nikopol” substation on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River, resulting in the loss of the last available power line for the plant.
This is reported by Finway
Blackout at Zaporizhzhia NPP: Incident Details
The disconnection occurred at 23:44, when the plant completely lost access to external power sources. At that time, critical systems were supported by backup diesel generators. This incident marked the 17th blackout at the Zaporizhzhia NPP since its occupation by Russian forces and the fifth since the beginning of 2026.
“At 23:44, due to the disconnection of the “Ferosplavna-1″ power line, the plant completely lost external power supply. The functioning of critical systems was ensured by the operation of backup diesel generators,” the statement said.
Nuclear Safety at Risk
The company emphasized that the latest blackout at the largest nuclear power plant in Europe once again demonstrates the serious risks arising from the illegal occupation of the facility by Russian forces. Each loss of external power poses an immediate threat to nuclear and radiation safety not only for Ukraine but for all of Europe.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that the drone attack on the “Nikopol” substation was the cause of the emergency power outage at the plant. Ukrainian defense forces refuted Russia’s claims of alleged strikes from Ukraine on the nuclear facility itself.
It is worth noting that on the night of May 29, the Zaporizhzhia NPP also completely lost connection with external power supply lines, which lasted for about an hour.