Ukraine restores power to Chernobyl plant after Russian attacks cut supply
Ukraine has successfully reconnected the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant to the national grid after military strikes severed all external electricity. Authorities confirm radiation levels remain normal and backup systems are active, averting an immediate safety crisis at the site of the 1986 disaster.
Ukrainian energy authorities announced on Tuesday that they have restored external power to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, hours after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported a complete loss of off-site electricity due to military activity. The reconnection has stabilized the critical site, home to the world's worst nuclear disaster.
Power restored to critical containment facilities
In a statement, Ukraine's Energy Ministry confirmed that all facilities at the decommissioned plant, including the New Safe Confinement structure covering the damaged reactor and spent nuclear fuel storage, are now receiving power from Ukraine's integrated grid. The ministry assured that "radiation levels at the industrial site and within the Exclusion Zone do not exceed established control limits." Officials added that the plant holds sufficient fuel reserves and has fully operational backup power sources should another attack occur.
International alarm and calls for accountability
The incident prompted swift condemnation from Kyiv and raised international alarm. Ukraine's statement criticized the attacks as "absolutely unacceptable," accusing Russia of violating fundamental nuclear safety principles and threatening the security of the entire European continent. In response, Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi agreed on the necessity of convening an extraordinary meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors to assess the consequences of the strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Context of widespread strikes on energy infrastructure
The power loss at Chernobyl occurred as part of a broader wave of Russian airstrikes targeting Ukrainian energy and infrastructure facilities. Ukrainian officials reported attacks on multiple regions, including the capital Kyiv. The Russian Defense Ministry stated these were "massive" strikes aimed at military-industrial and energy targets. The Chernobyl site, located near the abandoned city of Pripyat, requires a constant power supply to maintain cooling and safety systems for its contained nuclear material, making it a point of acute vulnerability.
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