US transfer of Zaporizhzhia NPP acceptable only under certain conditions, Experts say
Photo: The transfer of the Zaporizhzhia NPP to the US is permissible only under certain conditions (Getty Images)
Energy experts currently see neither sense nor possibility in transferring the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) to the United States. However, if a mechanism acceptable to both Ukraine and the US is found, such an option could, in principle, be beneficial, Hennadii Riabtsev, Director of special projects at Psychea Scientific and Technical Center, and Volodymyr Omelchenko, Director of energy programs at the Razumkov Center, state in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.
"If a mechanism is developed, this is the only way to return the plant to Ukraine’s energy system intact and operational. In any other scenario, the Russians will do everything to render it inoperable," said Riabtsev.
The expert noted that the Russians have no economic incentive to use ZNPP. To connect it to their system, they would need to build additional power transmission lines since the plant was originally designed to supply electricity to the right bank of the Dnipro River.
However, even if Russia decides to integrate it into its system, Ukraine, with its significant military potential, is unlikely to allow this to happen.
Omelchenko, in turn, believes that the US proposal could be accepted under certain conditions. The first is that ZNPP must remain under full legal and factual control of Ukraine.
Currently, nuclear energy facilities cannot be privatized under Ukrainian law, and removing them from state ownership would require legislative changes. Representatives of US companies or members of their government could be included in the Supervisory Board of the operator managing ZNPP.
The second condition is that all Russian troops must be withdrawn from the plant and surrounding areas. The third is that ZNPP must not supply electricity to the occupied territories.
Situation with ZNPP
As previously reported, the White House stated that President Donald Trump discussed the issue of nuclear power plants in Ukraine during a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump also noted that the US could assist Ukraine in managing them.
Later, Zelenskyy confirmed that the American President had inquired about ZNPP and the possibility of US involvement in its restoration. Zelenskyy stated that Trump asked whether the Ukrainian authorities would be open to the US modernizing ZNPP.
At the same time, the Ukrainian President emphasized that ZNPP belongs to the state, and Ukraine does not intend to transfer ownership of it to anyone. However, the US could invest funds in its restoration and modernization.
