2025-05-29 19:01
publication
2025-05-29 19:01
There are no signs for Russia to be preparing to launch the Zaporoska Atomic Power Plant in Ukraine – said on Thursday a representative of the International Atomic Energy Agency (Maea) after Ukraine gave her an official protest against such plans of Moscow.
“Our teams still confirm that there are no signs at the moment for any active preparations to restart the power plant,” said Maea's representative, reserving his anonymity.
A permanent representative of Kiev at Maea Jurij Witrenko said on Wednesday that Ukraine submitted an official protest against plans for Russia to launch a Zaporoska nuclear power plant, which is occupied by Russian troops. “Any launch of the Zaporian nuclear power plant without the clear consent of Ukrainian nuclear surveillance is illegal and poses a direct and unacceptable threat to nuclear safety,” said Witrene.
The day before, the New York Times reported, citing the Greenpeace report that Russia is building power lines on the occupied south-eastern part of Ukraine to connect this power plant to its network.
The Zaporian Power Plant is the largest nuclear gym in Europe. It is located in the city of Enerhrod in the Zaporoski region and from March 2022 it has been occupied by the Russian army. Experts warn against trying to restart it in current conditions. All gym reactors were gradually turned off after the Russians took the object; The last of them – in 2023.
The head of Maea Rafael Grossi said in March the Reuters agency that the restart of six reactors of the Zaporian nuclear power plant would be possible within a few months of the conclusion of a truce. However, this would increase water and electricity supply to the gym.
Meanwhile, it is not certain whether the right amount of water could be delivered, because its largest source – the Kachowski tank – was emptied after blowing up the firewall in 2023.
“The power plant lost its main source of water for cooling, so the whole system is not able to act as designed,” said the quoted representative of Maea. He emphasized that water consumption increases during the power plant for a row of size compared to the period when it is turned off. “We don't see any easy and quick way to solve this problem,” he added. (PAP)
MW/ MMS/
