Strike cuts power to Zaporizhzhia plant: IAEA

12 JUNE 2026

An overnight strike has cut off external electricity supply to the Ukraine’s Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, the UN nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.
No release of radioactivity was detected and radiation levels remained normal.
The plant “is currently relying on emergency diesel generators to power the cooling of its six shut-down reactors and maintain other essential nuclear safety functions,” it said.
The plant is located near the city of Enerhodar on the banks of the Dnipro River in southeastern Ukraine.
The facility consists of six VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors with a total installed capacity of about 6,000 MW.
The nuclear power plant played a crucial role in Ukraine’s electricity generation before the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
Russian forces captured the plant in March 2022 during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Although Russian troops control the site, Ukrainian nuclear staff have continued to operate many of the plant’s essential systems.
All six reactors have been shut down, but they still require continuous cooling and maintenance to ensure nuclear safety.