The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, which is under Russian control, could be restored and operated by the US. However, experts say it is still unclear how this operation will take place in practice, especially when the plant is located on the front line, in Russian control.
Before the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in 2022, Zaporizhzhia met about 20% of Ukraine's energy needs. With six reactors, Zaporizhzhia will become the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Ukrainian workers are still working at the nuclear power plant after Russia took control of the plant since the start of the conflict.
Currently, Zaporizhzhia is disconnected from the power grid and the power infrastructure needed to operate the safe plant has been damaged by drone and shelling attacks. Russia also destroyed the nearby Kakhovka dam, draining the reservoir of water supplied to cool the plant.
According to the UN nuclear monitoring team at the plant, all six reactors have been shut down and there are continuous concerns about maintenance as consecutive explosions continue to occur near the plant.
With the idea of the US restoring and reopening Europe's largest nuclear power plant, experts have questioned the feasibility of this option.
To operate the plant safely, there needs to be a safe and continuous power supply to avoid melting the reactor and at the same time, it is necessary to restore enough water supply to cool the plant.
"The first thing to do is to make sure that there will be no strikes directly on the plant or on supporting infrastructure - both power and water - and that must be done firmly. Up to now, such an agreement is still difficult to reach because shelling still occurs daily near the reactors."
According to him, the US idea of factory operation raises many questions about logistics, technology and practice, including questions about the US's responsibility for any accidents in Zaporizhzhia.
Nuclear experts also stressed that the US does not have any nuclear power plants using the same technology as Zaporizhzhia - a "water energy reactor" (VVER) designed by the Soviet Union.
These are different technologies. The United States is an advanced country, but I don't consider preparing to immediately control something with a different design, designed by another country without experience in operation as a good solution or a feasible choice," said Elena Sokova, director of the Center for the Disamentation and Dissemination of Nuclear Weapons of Vienna. She noted that there are strict licensing requirements for plant operators such as Zaporizhzhia.
