According to a representative from the UN nuclear watchdog, there are currently no indications that Russia is getting ready to restart the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. This statement comes after Ukraine raised concerns over reports suggesting Russia intended to connect the facility to its own electrical grid.
Zaporizhzhia, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, remains under Russian control, with all six of its reactors offline amidst ongoing conflict in the area. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has urged for a ceasefire, which could allow for improvements to the water supply and external power necessary for cooling the nuclear fuel.
“We currently see no signs that active preparations for a restart of the facility are in progress,” the IAEA official, who requested to remain unnamed, stated.
On Wednesday, a Ukrainian official reported that Ukraine had lodged a complaint with the IAEA over allegations that Russia is constructing power lines to connect the Zaporizhzhia plant to its electrical grid.
Yuriy Vitrenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to the IAEA, informed the Ukrainian news outlet Ukrinform that Kyiv views any Russian attempts to link the occupied plant to its grid as a severe breach of international law and an infringement on Ukrainian sovereignty.
A report by Greenpeace, referenced by The New York Times on Tuesday, indicated that Russia has been laying more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) of power lines between the occupied Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Berdiansk.
In March, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi mentioned to Reuters that it might be feasible to restart one of the plant’s reactors within months of achieving a lasting ceasefire, which remains hard to attain.
However, such an action would necessitate enhancing the plant’s water and external power supplies. Concerns regarding water availability have arisen since the plant’s primary source, the nearby Kakhovka reservoir, was drained due to the dam explosion in 2023.
This situation prompted the drilling of wells at Zaporizhzhia, providing sufficient water to cool the nuclear fuel while the reactors are offline, but inadequate for operations if the reactors were to be restarted.
“The plant has lost its primary source of cooling water, which prevents the entire system from functioning as originally intended,” stated the IAEA official.
“When the plant is operational, the water consumption is significantly greater compared to when it is in a cold shutdown. We do not foresee any simple or immediate solutions to address this issue,” they noted.
