Russia cannot safely restart Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant — Ukraine

Sheiko recalled that on May 28, Ukraine's Permanent Mission to International Organizations in Vienna submitted a note to the IAEA Secretariat condemning Russia's intentions to connect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to its own power grid and to construct transmission lines for that purpose.

"The plant is not ready for operation. There are major risks in restarting its power units. A full inspection of the equipment and systems is required, as no repairs have been carried out at the plant. There is no qualified staff familiar with the equipment, particularly components of Ukrainian origin installed after the plant's modernization," the deputy minister stated.

He emphasized that the current operators have "no spare parts, no materials, and no knowledge of how to repair, maintain, or operate the plant."

At present, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant continues to receive electricity from Ukraine's power grid.

Russia plans to restart Zaporizhzhia NPP

Recently, The New York Times reported that Russian forces are constructing power lines in the temporarily occupied territories of southeastern Ukraine to connect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to Russia's energy system.

Data collected by Greenpeace and satellite imagery show new transmission lines and pylons between the occupied Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Berdiansk on the Sea of Azov coast, which appeared after February 2025.

According to Greenpeace, this indicates that Moscow is preparing to restart and operate the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which was shut down at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Meanwhile, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has stated that Russia is unlikely to successfully restart the plant in the near future, despite active attempts.

Currently, the Zaporizhzhia plant is operating on only one power line. Before the full-scale war began, it had ten.