On September 8, 2026, another thermal power plant (TPP) of the DTEK energy holding ceased operations as a result of large-scale Russian shelling. This was announced by the operator itself in an official statement on Telegram, which was cited by the RBC-Ukraine outlet. According to the company, the aggressor state carried out several waves of attacks on the facility, causing significant damage to the plant's equipment. At the time of publication, electricity generation at the affected TPP has been fully halted.
Course of the attack and condition of the equipment
DTEK emphasizes that the strikes on the plant were not delivered all at once, but in several waves, which is characteristic of the tactic of mass destruction of critical energy infrastructure. It was precisely the multiplicity of the attacks that led to the equipment sustaining significant damage, rendering the plant unable to produce electricity. In photos taken by eyewitnesses in the area around the plant, a dense black smoke cloud can be seen rising above the industrial buildings against a backdrop of power line towers, visually confirming the scale of the destruction and fire.
Systematic pressure on the power grid
Energy workers reminded that since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, DTEK TPP facilities have been attacked more than 230 times. Thus, the September 8 incident became another link in a long chain of strikes on the country's generating capacity. Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that Russian forces had already struck DTEK facilities in the Dnipropetrovsk region three times, each time causing significant damage to the equipment. A separate incident on August 18 was also recorded, when a massive strike put another thermal power plant of the holding out of service.
Recovery and preparation for the winter period
Despite the regular destruction, the DTEK team continues to work on restoring the damaged facilities. At the end of July 2026, thanks to the efforts of energy workers, electricity was restored to the homes of nearly 440,000 Ukrainian families after enemy shelling. In parallel, the company states that it is preparing for the next heating season: approximately 5 billion hryvnia has been allocated for the repair of TPPs and mines. These expenditures are aimed at restoring and modernizing generating capacity to minimize the risks of outages amid ongoing attacks.
Contradictory data
The provided sources lack a single precise geographical reference to the specific city or settlement where the affected plant is located. RBC-Ukraine and glavred.info describe the event as a strike on "one of the TPPs," while delo.ua refers to "significant destruction" without detailing the location. At the same time, the Dnipropetrovsk region is mentioned in the context as the area where DTEK facilities had previously been attacked three times. Therefore, it cannot be stated with absolute certainty that the plant affected on September 8 is located in the Dnipropetrovsk region, or that this is a new facility in another region. The exact name of the TPP is not disclosed in the statements available at the time of publication.
