Fundamental issues are Russian plans for restart and its illegal occupation
17 October 2025, Kyiv
The leadership of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has failed to disclose that Russia deliberately sabotaged the electricity line at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and refused to repair the power line despite only minor damage, Greenpeace Ukraine stated today. As a result, for 25 days Europe’s largest nuclear plant has been operating on emergency diesel generators. On 23 September Russian armed forces disconnected the 750kV electricity line, the last remaining external electricity connection to the nuclear site. Russian officials have repeatedly claimed that due to Ukraine military strikes in the area of the tower it was not possible to repair the damage and reconnect the nuclear plant.(1) IAEA Director General has supported the Russian position by claiming that it was necessary for there to be a local ceasefire agreement before Russia could undertake repairs.(2) This is despite conclusive evidence from high resolution satellite imagery published on 1 October, and assessed by former UK military experts at McKenzie Intelligence Services (MIS), that confirmed that there had been no shelling or attacks by Ukraine at the location of the 750 kV transmission tower. In a briefing to Greenpeace Ukraine, McKenzie analysts concluded that if there was any damage to the transmission tower and line, it was minimal and could be easily repaired.(3)
“Why has IAEA Director General Grossi repeated Russian nuclear disinformation ? At any anytime since 23 September Russia could have repaired and reconnected the vital power link to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactors. This was a deliberate, managed nuclear crisis manufactured in the Kremlin. Russia has a clear but extremely dangerous plan to reconnect to the occupied grid in Zaporizhzhia and to move towards reactor restart. The IAEA Director General must know that there were no Ukraine attacks on the transmission line – and yet remained silent. That is exactly what Russia wants and is an inexcusable mistake,” said Shaun Burnie, senior nuclear specialist at Greenpeace Ukraine.
In September, during the first days of the latest crisis at ZNPP, Director General Grossi was attending a Russian nuclear industry gathering in Moscow. The repair of external electricity lines is a vital safety measure to ensure cooling and other safety systems at the ZNPP continue to function. As a consequence of repeated Russian military attacks on the other functioning external electricity line that runs north across the Dnipro river to Nikopol, that 330kV grid connection has not been available since 7 May 2025. The ceasefire agreement Russia has finally agreed to will permit Ukraine engineers from the national grid operator UkrEnergo to repair the damage over several days.
Greenpeace analysis over the last months has confirmed the construction of over 200km of new electricity lines between Melitopol and Mariupol. It is expected that Russia will continue to undertake engineering works on electricity lines and substations in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk region they illegally occupy.(4)
“One thing is certain – this crisis will be repeated again and again by Russia so long as they remain at the nuclear site and go unpunished for their crimes. So long as Russian armed forces and state nuclear corporation Rosatom occupy the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the enormous threat to nuclear safety and security to Ukraine and Europe will continue. The IAEA leadership under Rafael Grossi must stop pandering to Russia’s nuclear ambitions and wider war aims. The international community needs to prevent Russian plans for restarting reactors at ZNPP and force the de-occupation of the nuclear plant. No future can be permitted for Russia at ZNPP,” said Jan Vande Putte, radiation and nuclear expert at Greenpeace Ukraine.
Photo DENAMAX, CC BY-SA 4.0
Notes
1 – Repairs to the Zaporizhzhya NPP power supply line are complicated by shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, 25 September 2025, see https://tass.ru/proisshestviya/25154303; and Grossi says discussing restoration of power supply to ZNPP with Russia, Ukraine, 3 October 2025, see https://tass.com/world/2025073
2 – Update 319 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine, 6 October 2025, see https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/update-319-iaea-director-general-statement-on-situation-in-ukraine
3 – McKenzie Intelligence Services, Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) External Electricity Grid Loss, 30 September 2025, Commissioned by Greenpeace Ukraine, see https://www.greenpeace.org/ukraine/en/news/4460/the-750-kv-power-line-at-zaporizhzhya-nuclear-power-plant-shows-no-signs-of-major-damage-new-satellite-investigation-by-greenpeace/
4 – The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Cliff Edge: Russia And Rosatom Escalates Crisis, Greenpeace Ukraine Analysis Of New Russian Grid Line, Cooling Water Supply, Loss Of Offsite Power And Early Reactor Restart September 26 2025, see https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yLgDuPl8E9EF38tQmaXjJCQm9aI3oyXc/view
