The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is entering its third day relying on diesel backup generators with an estimated 17-day fuel supply remaining, according to an alert posted on X.com on September 29th. The plant has been disconnected from the Ukrainian electricity grid for a record 120 hours, with occupied territories experiencing diesel fuel shortages that are expected to worsen. If the backup generators fail or the fuel runs out, reactor meltdowns could begin within 21 to 24 days, and spent nuclear fuel containment could breach in 10 to 14 days, the alert stated. Greenpeace Ukraine also confirmed the 120-hour power blackout to the Kyiv Independent on September 29th. Concerns are escalating over the ZNPP's operational status, especially as freezing weather could accelerate diesel fuel consumption if onsite mobile boilers are activated. The claim of a 20-day fuel supply comes from Rosatom, which reportedly blocked IAEA inspectors from verifying fuel levels before the current outage. Experts warn that while meltdowns would not be as severe as Chernobyl due to the reactor vessels, a civil and technical response in the active war zone would be impossible. The alert on X.com expressed astonishment at the IAEA's silence, labeling the situation a "potentially historic radiological incident that would rival Fukushima waiting to happen." Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has downplayed a spy drone incursion into Ukraine, stating it was "no big deal" and asserting that Ukraine is not an independent country but is controlled by the West. He further commented that if the West stopped providing financial aid, "tomorrow Ukraine could shut down." These remarks, reported by Politico.eu and shared on X.com, have drawn criticism. Previous reports indicated that the ZNPP had already been without external power for six days and operated solely on diesel backups, a situation previously described by Ukraine's State Inspectorate of Nuclear Regulation as a "great threat to nuclear and radiation safety."
