All six units of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) are currently in a cold shutdown state. However, the exact condition of the plant is unclear, as Ukraine has not controlled it since 2022, says energy expert Volodymyr Omelchenko, UNIAN reports.
US President Donald Trump has shifted his focus to taking control of Ukrainian nuclear power plants after his previous attempt to secure a colonial-style mineral deal with Ukraine failed. While the US is reluctant to offer Ukraine any security guarantees, the US administration’s current proposal suggests that if Ukraine effectively gives up its energy security, US-controlled nuclear power plants, including the ZNPP, the largest plant in Europe, would allegedly be secure from Russian strikes.
At present, Russian military units are stationed at the plant, there is a shortage of qualified personnel, and the facility has sustained significant damage. The entire perimeter of the plant has been mined.
“The situation is dangerous because the ZNPP is controlled by Russian terrorist military units. Additionally, Russia is deliberately damaging power lines that supply the plant, which is essential for safely cooling the nuclear fuel and maintaining other equipment,” says Omelchenko.
According to him, even if the US succeeds in securing the plant’s return to Ukrainian control, due to severe technical issues, it will not be possible to immediately reconnect it to Ukraine’s power grid. However, a phased reconnection of several units could take place.
Omelchenko explains that explosive ordnance specialists would first need to inspect the site, followed by technical experts to assess the condition of the equipment, as “the Russians are likely attempting to loot much of it.”
“There is even information suggesting they plan to remove valuable equipment from the plant and transport it to Russia. So, demining, damage assessment, and launching a new restart project for the plant could take at least one and a half to two years,” Omelchenko says.
He believes that at least two units of the ZNPP could certainly be restored to the Ukrainian power grid. Reconnecting the remaining four units may prove more challenging.
If the ZNPP is fully reintegrated into Ukraine’s power grid, then work on restoring the remaining units could begin. However, this would require designing new power output projects, including building new transmission lines, as many of the existing ones run through occupied territory.
Even bringing just two units back online would significantly ease Ukraine’s power shortage. If all units are restored, the issue of energy deficits could be resolved for many years.
If Russia retains control over the ZNPP, it could theoretically integrate it into its own energy system. However, the IAEA is unlikely to authorize such a move, and legal action against Russia may follow, Omelchenko adds.
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- IAEA: Nuclear safety at risk as Ukraine nuclear plants cut output after Russian attack
