Ukraine’s Nuclear Power Plants Forced to Reduce Energy Due to Russian Attacks

Ukraine’s nuclear power plants were forced to reduce their generation capacity as a result of aerial attacks by Russian forces.

The Ministry of Energy of Ukraine reported on its Telegram channel that “the enemy launched a massive drone and missile strike on substations and 750 kV and 330 kV overhead lines.”

As a result, nuclear power plants were forced to reduce their generation capacity.

The damaged power system is being balanced by importing electricity and implementing measures to limit consumption.

Ukrenergo, Ukraine’s state-owned electricity transmission system operator and the sole operator of the high-voltage lines, has increased power outages, and emergency schedules have been introduced in most regions of Ukraine.

The ministry emphasized that the main reason for the restrictions is the consequences of a massive attack on power plants and substations of the electricity transmission and distribution system, as cited by Ukrinform.

Due to constant shelling by the Russian Federation, a state of emergency continues to be in effect in the Ukrainian energy sector, requiring maximum cooperation from all services at the state and regional levels, the ministry said.

On Feb. 7, Russian troops attacked DTEK thermal power plants in various regions of Ukraine. This is the 10th massive attack on the company’s facilities since October 2025.

DTEK is Ukraine’s largest private energy company and it said that emergency power outages were in effect in the Kyiv region following damage to energy facilities.

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Russian Strike on DTEK Power Plant Kills Worker and Cripples Equipment

Russia launched a targeted assault against a DTEK thermal power plant on Friday, killing one employee and wounding another. The private energy company confirmed that the kinetic impact inflicted significant structural damage on the plant’s operational equipment. The fatal bombardment follows a pattern of systematic strikes against Ukraine’s civil power grid, including a multi-pronged attack on Monday that battered four distinct DTEK energy facilities in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

The company emphasized that during emergency shutdowns, standard outage schedules do not apply, urging residents to remain patient as grid operators work under wartime conditions.

Attacks compound winter energy crisis

The latest strikes come during what Ukrainian officials and analysts describe as the coldest and most difficult winter since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, with Moscow repeatedly targeting power infrastructure at moments of peak demand.

Russian forces have increasingly employed so-called “double-tap strikes,” hitting energy sites again as technicians and emergency crews arrive, significantly complicating immediate repairs and increasing risks to workers.

During an overnight attack on Feb. 3, Russia carried out its largest strike on Ukraine’s energy system since the beginning of the year, dealing severe damage to combined heat-and-power plants and high-voltage substations.