US strategic interest in restoring Ukrainian control over Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

by Victoria Voytsitska, Chair of the Board of the National Education Association and member of the International Center for Ukraine’s Victory NGO 

Source: Ukrainska Pravda

The fate of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) – seized by Russian forces in early 2022 – remains one of the most pressing issues for international security today. As the largest nuclear facility in Europe, ZNPP’s six reactors, each with a capacity of 1 GW, once supplied a quarter of Ukraine’s electricity. 

But the implications of Russia’s ongoing occupation extend far beyond energy output: they touch the heart of nuclear safety, regional stability, and the global balance of power. 

Why U.S. interests rely on ZNPP’s return to Ukraine

Regaining control of the ZNPP is of strategic importance not only for Kyiv but also for Washington. Russia’s seizure of Europe’s largest nuclear facility has posed unprecedented challenges to international security, energy stability, and geopolitical influence. The United States has strong reasons to play an active role in resolving this crisis, as it affects not just Ukraine’s security, but also the global balance of power and the economic interests of American companies.

Preventing nuclear blackmail and strengthening global security

ZNPP’s capture has set an extremely dangerous precedent in international nuclear security. For the first time in history, a nuclear facility is being used as both a military base and a tool for blackmail. This threatens the global nuclear non-proliferation framework and sends a troubling message to other authoritarian regimes that nuclear power plants can be leveraged for political gain. In fact, Putin has already used this as a bargaining chip with President Trump, rejecting a proposal to place the ZNPP, which houses American technology, under U.S. jurisdiction.

If Russia is allowed to retain control of the ZNPP without consequences, it could encourage other nations, such as China, Iran, or North Korea, to employ similar tactics to pursue their strategic goals. As a global leader in security, the U.S. cannot afford to let this happen.

Nuclear security and protection of American technologies

One of the key reasons behind the United States’ strategic interest is the security of nuclear technologies, particularly safeguarding the interests of American company Westinghouse. Ukraine has established a long-term partnership with Westinghouse regarding the supply of nuclear fuel.

Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, nuclear power plants accounted for 50% of the country’s electricity generation, with one of the largest nuclear reactor fleets in the world. The collaboration with Westinghouse began long before the Russian aggression. In 2005, Ukraine became the first country to load American nuclear fuel at the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant as part of a program to diversify fuel supplies and reduce dependence on Russia’s “TVEL.”

In 2014, following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the occupation of parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Ukraine reassessed its strategic priorities. It designated Westinghouse as its sole strategic partner for supplying nuclear fuel to all four of its nuclear power plants.

As a result, Westinghouse gained access to one of the largest nuclear fuel markets, while Ukraine successfully implemented a program to transition its Soviet-era reactors to modern American fuel.

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