Power Restored to Chernobyl Site After Temporary Outage Caused by Russian Strike

Ukrainian authorities have confirmed that power to the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear plant has been fully restored and is functioning normally after a temporary disruption caused by a Russian strike. The outage occurred when an energy substation in Slavutych, a town established for personnel displaced after the 1986 nuclear disaster, was targeted, cutting electricity to the plant's containment structure for over three hours.

President Volodymyr Zelensky initially alerted the public to the power interruption, raising concerns about safety at the site. However, Ukraine’s energy ministry later reassured that all systems were operating without issues. The Chernobyl zone administration emphasized that the New Safe Confinement — the protective structure shielding the damaged reactor and its initial sarcophagus to prevent radiation leaks — is currently functioning as intended.

Since February 2022, Russian forces have occupied the Chernobyl site amid ongoing conflict, during which Ukraine’s nuclear facilities have been repeatedly targeted. These attacks have heightened fears of another nuclear disaster reminiscent of the world’s most severe nuclear accident, which occurred at Reactor 4 in 1986 and exposed large populations to hazardous radiation levels.

The restoration of power and normal operations at Chernobyl marks an important development amid the continued tensions in the region.