Fire at 750-kV Substation Partially Disconnects South Ukraine Nuclear Plant

3 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 22

Ukrainian authorities told the IAEA that military activity sparked a fire at the Dniprovska 750-kilovolt substation, and the grid operator partially cut South Ukraine nuclear plant off from external power.
Firefighters were deployed to suppress the blaze, while IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said he was deeply concerned and warned substations critical to nuclear safety must never be targeted.
The Dniprovska substation also supplies the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia plant, where one external line of the same name has already been down since March 24 and the IAEA has sought a ceasefire for repairs.
Zaporizhzhia's 6 reactors are not generating electricity but still need outside power to cool nuclear fuel, underscoring how fighting around grid infrastructure threatens nuclear safety across Ukraine.

With nuclear plants enduring repeated attacks, are they proving their resilience or just nearing an inevitable disaster?

Is Ukraine's massive shift to nuclear power a brilliant survival strategy or a gamble with catastrophic risks?

As attacks on nuclear sites become common, are global safety rules now obsolete?