Fear of Chernobyl-like disaster at Europe’s largest nuclear plant

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear facility located in Ukraine and currently controlled by Russia amid the ongoing war, is facing a critical safety situation. Since losing external power on September 23, 2025, the plant has been operating solely on backup generators, marking the longest outage since the conflict began in 2022. Although its reactors have been shut down for over three years, reducing immediate risk, a complete power failure could cause cooling system failures and potentially lead to a nuclear accident. The generators’ fuel reserves typically last about 10 days, and resupply efforts are hindered by ongoing fighting in the area. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is present on-site, working with both parties to restore external power and ensure safety. Residents fear a disaster reminiscent of the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe, which caused widespread radiation exposure and long-term health effects across the region. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi emphasized that relying on emergency power is