IAEA’s Grossi urges Russia and Ukraine to cooperate on ZNPP diesel supplies
In short
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi called on Russia and Ukraine to cooperate with the agency to secure prompt diesel fuel deliveries to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, saying reserves there remain low after power losses in August and September. Kommersant reported the plant is considering cutting the number of emergency diesel generators further, and that refuelling is complicated by military activity. On 4 October, Grossi said the IAEA does not name a party responsible for attacks on the plant, citing the agency’s neutrality.
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The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, called on Russia and Ukraine to cooperate with the agency to secure prompt deliveries of diesel fuel to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, saying that reliable emergency power supply is critical for the safety of any nuclear facility. Vedomosti quoted him as saying that the earliest possible delivery of fuel to the plant would have a large positive effect on nuclear safety there. [ 1 , 2 ]
Grossi said diesel reserves at the plant remained low after external power was lost in August and September, and that the continuing shortage was worsening what the IAEA press service, cited by Kommersant, described as an already unstable situation. Kommersant reported that the plant is considering a further reduction in the number of emergency diesel generators, and that replenishing fuel stocks is complicated by military activity in the area. [ 1 , 2 ]
Kommersant described the plant as Europe’s largest nuclear station, located on the left bank of the Dnipro near Enerhodar, which it said is regularly shelled. Power generation there stopped in 2022 and all reactors are in cold shutdown, though they still release residual heat. The main Dniprovska transmission line has been de-energised since March 2026, leaving the backup Ferrospavnaya-1 line — at 330 kV, according to Vedomosti — as the only power source; Kommersant said it has been repaired at least three times. Even in cold shutdown the plant needs external power for its own needs, including cooling fuel, and a complete loss of external supply would force it to rely on emergency diesel generators, the last line of protection against a nuclear accident. [ 1 , 2 ]
Vedomosti reported that in August and September the station ran on its power units for almost three weeks and that power had been cut off 10 times since June. In early September, the plant’s communications director, Yevgenia Yashina, said it had been without external power for more than two weeks after damage to the last working high-voltage line, Ferrospavnaya-1. On 29 September, Rosatom chief executive Alexei Likhachev said the state corporation had prepared a technical plan for a possible phased restart of the plant’s units. [ 1 ]
On 4 October, RIA Novosti reported that Grossi had explained why the IAEA does not name Kyiv as responsible for attacks on the plant; Kommersant, citing his answer to RIA Novosti, reported that the agency maintains neutrality on the issue, in response to Russian calls for it to recognise the responsibility of Ukrainian forces for strikes on the station. The documents do not say whether either side has responded to the call for cooperation on fuel deliveries. [ 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The Zaporizhzhia plant is described by Kommersant as Europe’s largest nuclear station, and the documents tie its safety to diesel stocks and a single backup power line, so an appeal from the IAEA is aimed at both sides in the war. The agency’s stated neutrality on who is attacking the site leaves the question of responsibility unresolved while it positions itself as a mediator on fuel deliveries.
Key facts
- IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi called on Russia and Ukraine to cooperate with the agency to ensure prompt diesel fuel deliveries to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Grossi said diesel reserves at the plant remain low after external power was lost in August and September. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The plant relies on the backup line Ferrospavnaya-1, at 330 kV, as its only power source, while the main Dniprovska line has been de-energised since March 2026. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Kommersant reported the plant is considering a further reduction in the number of emergency diesel generators and that replenishing fuel is difficult because of military activity in the area. [ 2 ]
- The IAEA does not name a party responsible for attacks on the plant, with Grossi citing the agency’s neutrality in answer to a RIA Novosti question about Russian calls to blame Ukrainian forces. [ 3 , 4 ]
- All six reactors are in cold shutdown but still release residual heat and need external power for cooling, according to Kommersant. [ 2 ]
- Rosatom chief executive Alexei Likhachev said on 29 September that the state corporation had prepared a technical plan for a possible phased restart of the plant’s units. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi called on Russia and Ukraine to cooperate with the agency to ensure prompt diesel fuel deliveries to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Diesel fuel reserves at the plant remain low after external power losses in August and September. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Grossi said reliable emergency power supply is critical for the safety of any nuclear facility. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The plant depends on the backup transmission line Ferrospavnaya-1 as its only power source. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The IAEA does not name a party responsible for attacks on the plant, citing its neutrality. [ 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Who is responsible for attacks on the Zaporizhzhia plant. The documents state that the IAEA declines to name a party, citing neutrality, and that Russia has called for Ukrainian forces to be blamed; no outlet in the documents establishes responsibility.
- Whether Russia or Ukraine has responded to Grossi’s call to cooperate on diesel deliveries. The documents report the appeal but do not say whether either side has agreed or replied.
- Whether the number of emergency diesel generators at the plant will be cut. Kommersant reports only that the plant is considering a further reduction; no decision is stated.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Vedomosti publishes Grossi’s call for Russia and Ukraine to cooperate with the IAEA on diesel supplies and reports low fuel reserves at the plant. [ 1 ]
- Kommersant reports the appeal, the IAEA warning that the shortage worsens an unstable situation, and that the plant is considering cutting emergency diesel generators. [ 2 ]
- RIA Novosti reports Grossi explaining why the IAEA does not name Kyiv as responsible for attacks on the plant. [ 3 ]
- Kommersant reports Grossi saying the IAEA maintains neutrality on attacks at the plant, answering a RIA Novosti question about Russian calls to blame Ukrainian forces. [ 4 ]