Russia threatens to restart occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, posing risk to Europe

Russia has once again raised the issue of restarting the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), one of four that Ukraine operated before the war, warning of potential catastrophic consequences of a radiation fallout, not only for Ukraine but for the entire European continent, according to Ekonomicha Pravda.

“Russia has again mentioned the ‘restart of the ZNPP’ following recent U.S.-Russia negotiations in Riyadh and talks of a possible ceasefire,” the article reads.

The situation escalated in March when the International Atomic Energy Agency  (IAEA) mission that has regularly monitored the site was routed through the occupied territories of Ukraine, accompanied by Russian military forces. 

This was the first time such a route was taken, as previous missions had exclusively passed through Ukrainian-controlled areas, ensuring neutral and safe inspections.

Experts from Greenpeace Ukraine suspect that this could be another step towards preparing to reconnect the plant to the power grid.

Currently, several challenges prevent the plant from resuming operation, including equipment degradation, a lack of water for cooling the reactors, the inability to supply power from the plant, and an uncertain situation regarding the nuclear fuel.

In June 2023, Russia destroyed the Kakhovka Dam, which was a critical water source for the nuclear plant. The reservoir had supplied water for the plant’s cooling systems, which is essential to ensure safety.

“As long as the war continues, the safety of the plant cannot be guaranteed, and several complex issues remain unresolved, making a restart impossible,” the article states.

A rapid restoration of the plant is not feasible, especially because of the site’s close proximity to war hostilities.

“At this point, such Russian statements should not be taken seriously. If there are specific decisions about a ceasefire or peace, that would change the situation,” a government representative told EP.

In the worst-case scenario, if a ceasefire is reached and the plant remains under Russian control, it may still be possible to restore its operations.

“In the event of a ceasefire, the Russians could take some technical steps to prepare the reactors to restart, but this would violate all Ukrainian nuclear legislation,” the article reads.

Russia seized the plant – the largest in Europe and the third-largest in the world by total capacity – in March 2022. Since then, the plant has essentially been turned into a military facility.

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