diff --git a/src/app/api/power/route.js b/src/app/api/power/route.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fed109a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/power/route.js
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
+import { powerControl } from '@/lib/proxmox';
+
+/**
+ * @param {import('next').Request} req
+ */
+export async function POST(req) {
+  try {
+    const { node, vmid, type, action } = await req.json();
+
+    if (!node || !vmid || !type || !action) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Missing required fields' }, { status: 400 });
+    }
+
+    if (!['qemu', 'lxc'].includes(type)) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Invalid type, must be qemu or lxc' }, { status: 400 });
+    }
+
+    if (!['start', 'stop', 'restart'].includes(action)) {
+      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'Invalid action, must be start, stop, or restart' }, { status: 400 });
+    }
+
+    await powerControl(node, vmid, type, action);
+    return NextResponse.json({ ok: true, timestamp: Date.now() });
+  } catch (error) {
+    return NextResponse.json({ error: error.message, ok: false }, { status: 502 });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/components/Dashboard.js b/src/components/Dashboard.js
index d088e8a..020ab28 100644
--- a/src/components/Dashboard.js
+++ b/src/components/Dashboard.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import NodeList from './NodeList';
 import VMList from './VMList';
 import LXCList from './LXCList';
 import axios from 'axios';
+import { SWRConfig } from 'swr';
 
 const POLL_INTERVAL = Number(process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_API_POLL_INTERVAL || 30000);
 
@@ -30,6 +31,23 @@ async function fetchData(url) {
 /** @returns {import('react').ReactNode} */
 export default function Dashboard() {
   const [activeTab, setActiveTab] = useState('nodes');
+  const [powerActionStatus, setPowerActionStatus] = useState(null);
+
+  /**
+   * @param {string} node
+   * @param {number} vmid
+   * @param {string} type
+   * @param {string} action
+   */
+  const handlePowerAction = async (node, vmid, type, action) => {
+    setPowerActionStatus({ text: `${action.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + action.slice(1)}ing ${type === 'qemu' ? 'VM' : 'LXC'} ${vmid}...`, type: 'pending' });
+    try {
+      await axios.post('/api/power', { node, vmid, type, action });
+      setPowerActionStatus({ text: `${action.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + action.slice(1)} successful`, type: 'success' });
+    } catch (err) {
+      setPowerActionStatus({ text: err.message || `${action.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + action.slice(1)} failed`, type: 'error' });
+    }
+  };
 
   const { data: nodesData, error: nodesError } = useSWR('/api/nodes', fetchData, {
     refreshInterval: POLL_INTERVAL,
@@ -100,6 +118,16 @@ export default function Dashboard() {
         </div>
       )}
 
+      {powerActionStatus && (
+        <div className={`mb-6 rounded-xl border p-4 text-sm ${
+          powerActionStatus.type === 'success' ? 'border-status-green/30 bg-status-green/10 text-status-green'
+            : powerActionStatus.type === 'error' ? 'border-status-red/30 bg-status-red/10 text-status-red'
+            : 'border-border-card bg-bg-card text-text-secondary'
+        }`}>
+          {powerActionStatus.text}
+        </div>
+      )}
+
       {/* Tab navigation */}
       <div className="mb-4 flex gap-2 border-b border-border-card">
         {tabs.map((tab) => (
@@ -119,8 +147,8 @@ export default function Dashboard() {
       {/* Tab content */}
       <div>
         {activeTab === 'nodes' && <NodeList nodes={nodes} />}
-        {activeTab === 'vms' && <VMList vms={vms} />}
-        {activeTab === 'lxc' && <LXCList lxc={lxc} />}
+        {activeTab === 'vms' && <VMList vms={vms} onPowerAction={handlePowerAction} />}
+        {activeTab === 'lxc' && <LXCList lxc={lxc} onPowerAction={handlePowerAction} />}
       </div>
 
       {/* Footer */}
diff --git a/src/components/LXCList.js b/src/components/LXCList.js
index e6cf7e0..8d76b04 100644
--- a/src/components/LXCList.js
+++ b/src/components/LXCList.js
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@ import StatusBadge from './StatusBadge';
  * @param {{ lxc: Array<{ vmid: number; name: string; type: string; status: string; cpu: number; memory: { total: number; used: number }; disk: { total: number; used: number }; node: string }> }} props
  * @returns {import('react').ReactNode}
  */
-export default function LXCList({ lxc }) {
+/**
+ * @param {{ lxc: Array<{ vmid: number; name: string; type: string; status: string; cpu: number; memory: { total: number; used: number }; disk: { total: number; used: number }; node: string }>, onPowerAction: (node: string, vmid: number, type: string, action: string) => void }} props
+ */
+export default function LXCList({ lxc, onPowerAction }) {
   if (!lxc?.length) {
     return <p className="text-text-secondary text-sm">No LXC containers found.</p>;
   }
@@ -38,6 +41,20 @@ export default function LXCList({ lxc }) {
                     <td className="px-4 py-2 text-text-secondary">{(item.cpu * 100).toFixed(1)}%</td>
                     <td className="px-4 py-2 text-text-secondary">{formatBytes(item.memory?.used || 0)} / {formatBytes(item.memory?.total || 0)}</td>
                     <td className="px-4 py-2"><StatusBadge status={item.status} /></td>
+                    <td className="px-4 py-2">
+                      <button
+                        onClick={() => onPowerAction(item.node, item.vmid, 'lxc', 'restart')}
+                        className="mr-2 rounded-md border border-border-card bg-bg-card px-2 py-1 text-xs text-text-primary hover:border-accent hover:text-accent"
+                      >
+                        Restart
+                      </button>
+                      <button
+                        onClick={() => onPowerAction(item.node, item.vmid, 'lxc', 'stop')}
+                        className="rounded-md border border-status-red/30 bg-status-red/10 px-2 py-1 text-xs text-status-red hover:bg-status-red/20"
+                      >
+                        Stop
+                      </button>
+                    </td>
                   </tr>
                 ))}
               </tbody>
@@ -58,6 +75,7 @@ export default function LXCList({ lxc }) {
                   <th className="px-4 py-2.5 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-text-secondary">Node</th>
                   <th className="px-4 py-2.5 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-text-secondary">Disk</th>
                   <th className="px-4 py-2.5 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-text-secondary">Status</th>
+                  <th className="px-4 py-2.5 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-text-secondary">Actions</th>
                 </tr>
               </thead>
               <tbody>
@@ -68,6 +86,14 @@ export default function LXCList({ lxc }) {
                     <td className="px-4 py-2 text-text-secondary">{item.node}</td>
                     <td className="px-4 py-2 text-text-secondary">{formatBytes(item.disk?.used || 0)}</td>
                     <td className="px-4 py-2"><StatusBadge status={item.status} /></td>
+                    <td className="px-4 py-2">
+                      <button
+                        onClick={() => onPowerAction(item.node, item.vmid, 'lxc', 'start')}
+                        className="rounded-md border border-status-green/30 bg-status-green/10 px-2 py-1 text-xs text-status-green hover:bg-status-green/20"
+                      >
+                        Start
+                      </button>
+                    </td>
                   </tr>
                 ))}
               </tbody>
diff --git a/src/components/VMList.js b/src/components/VMList.js
index 4477f43..a76dffe 100644
--- a/src/components/VMList.js
+++ b/src/components/VMList.js
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@ import StatusBadge from './StatusBadge';
  * @param {{ vms: Array<{ vmid: number; name: string; type: string; status: string; cpu: number; memory: { total: number; used: number }; disk: { total: number; used: number }; node: string }> }} props
  * @returns {import('react').ReactNode}
  */
-export default function VMList({ vms }) {
+/**
+ * @param {{ vms: Array<{ vmid: number; name: string; type: string; status: string; cpu: number; memory: { total: number; used: number }; disk: { total: number; used: number }; node: string }>, onPowerAction: (node: string, vmid: number, type: string, action: string) => void }} props
+ */
+export default function VMList({ vms, onPowerAction }) {
   if (!vms?.length) {
     return <p className="text-text-secondary text-sm">No VMs found.</p>;
   }
@@ -27,6 +30,7 @@ export default function VMList({ vms }) {
                   <th className="px-4 py-2.5 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-text-secondary">CPU</th>
                   <th className="px-4 py-2.5 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-text-secondary">Memory</th>
                   <th className="px-4 py-2.5 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-text-secondary">Status</th>
+                  <th className="px-4 py-2.5 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-text-secondary">Actions</th>
                 </tr>
               </thead>
               <tbody>
@@ -38,6 +42,20 @@ export default function VMList({ vms }) {
                     <td className="px-4 py-2 text-text-secondary">{(vm.cpu * 100).toFixed(1)}%</td>
                     <td className="px-4 py-2 text-text-secondary">{formatBytes(vm.memory?.used || 0)} / {formatBytes(vm.memory?.total || 0)}</td>
                     <td className="px-4 py-2"><StatusBadge status={vm.status} /></td>
+                    <td className="px-4 py-2">
+                      <button
+                        onClick={() => onPowerAction(vm.node, vm.vmid, 'qemu', 'restart')}
+                        className="mr-2 rounded-md border border-border-card bg-bg-card px-2 py-1 text-xs text-text-primary hover:border-accent hover:text-accent"
+                      >
+                        Restart
+                      </button>
+                      <button
+                        onClick={() => onPowerAction(vm.node, vm.vmid, 'qemu', 'stop')}
+                        className="rounded-md border border-status-red/30 bg-status-red/10 px-2 py-1 text-xs text-status-red hover:bg-status-red/20"
+                      >
+                        Stop
+                      </button>
+                    </td>
                   </tr>
                 ))}
               </tbody>
@@ -58,6 +76,7 @@ export default function VMList({ vms }) {
                   <th className="px-4 py-2.5 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-text-secondary">Node</th>
                   <th className="px-4 py-2.5 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-text-secondary">Disk</th>
                   <th className="px-4 py-2.5 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-text-secondary">Status</th>
+                  <th className="px-4 py-2.5 text-left text-xs font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-text-secondary">Actions</th>
                 </tr>
               </thead>
               <tbody>
@@ -68,6 +87,14 @@ export default function VMList({ vms }) {
                     <td className="px-4 py-2 text-text-secondary">{vm.node}</td>
                     <td className="px-4 py-2 text-text-secondary">{formatBytes(vm.disk?.used || 0)}</td>
                     <td className="px-4 py-2"><StatusBadge status={vm.status} /></td>
+                    <td className="px-4 py-2">
+                      <button
+                        onClick={() => onPowerAction(vm.node, vm.vmid, 'qemu', 'start')}
+                        className="rounded-md border border-status-green/30 bg-status-green/10 px-2 py-1 text-xs text-status-green hover:bg-status-green/20"
+                      >
+                        Start
+                      </button>
+                    </td>
                   </tr>
                 ))}
               </tbody>
diff --git a/src/lib/proxmox.js b/src/lib/proxmox.js
index d217268..5127cb1 100644
--- a/src/lib/proxmox.js
+++ b/src/lib/proxmox.js
@@ -163,7 +163,20 @@ export async function getLXC(nodeName) {
  * Aggregated summary across all nodes.
  * @returns {Promise<SummaryStat>}
  */
-export async function getSummary() {
+/**
+ * Sends a power action to a VM or LXC.
+ * @param {string} nodeName
+ * @param {number} vmid
+ * @param {'qemu'|'lxc'} type
+ * @param {'start'|'stop'|'restart'} action
+ * @returns {Promise<void>}
+ */
+export async function powerControl(nodeName, vmid, type, action) {
+  await proxmoxFetch(`/nodes/${nodeName}/${type}/${vmid}/status/${action}`, 'POST');
+}
+
+/**
+ * Aggregated summary across all nodes.
   const nodes = await getNodes();
   let totalVMs = [];
   let totalLXC = [];