Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have seen no signs that Russia has taken action to immediately resume operation of the Zaporozhye NPP, a representative of the UN watchdog said, after the non-governmental organization "Greenpeace" expressed concern about construction activity in the area of the plant, the AP reported, quoted by BTA.
The "Zaporozhye" NPP, which has six reactors, is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and is among the ten largest in the world. The facility has been the focus of attention of the IAEA and the international community since the start of the war in Ukraine due to fears of a potential nuclear disaster. The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant came under Russian control in March 2022, shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when the plant stopped generating electricity.
The city of Zaporizhia, about 440 km southeast of Kiev, is controlled by Ukraine. There have been attacks in the area around the plant and the front line is nearby. The IAEA has staff to inspect the plant's safety and offer their expertise. The UN agency's staff at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant rotates.
"Greenpeace" said on Tuesday it had satellite images showing Russia building a "high-voltage power line" in Moscow-controlled areas in Ukraine's Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions.
AP staff analyzed satellite images taken by "Planet Labs PBC" (Planet Labs PBC) in the same area, and found that they also show power lines and poles under construction.
"This is one of the first irrefutable pieces of evidence that Russia is moving forward with its dangerous and illegal plans to restart the largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine and Europe," said Sean Burney, a nuclear energy specialist at "Greenpeace" Ukraine.
The IAEA official said in response to an AP question about the "Greenpeace" information that the agency's inspectors had not observed any major changes to the plant that would suggest that Russia was preparing to put the plant back into operation. "I can only say that our teams continue to confirm that at present there are no indications of any active preparations for the restart of the plant", said the representative of the UN supervisory body.
Russia has not admitted that it is building a power line.
Ukraine yesterday sent a note to the IAEA expressing concern about the construction of the power line. "These actions constitute a gross violation of international law and an encroachment on the sovereignty of Ukraine", the text reads. "The construction of this power line is a clear sign of Russia's intention to undertake an unauthorized restart of the Zaporizhzhia NPP - a facility that remains the sovereign property of Ukraine," the letter also reads. "Any operation (of the plant) without the explicit permission of the Ukrainian nuclear regulator is illegal and poses a direct and unacceptable threat to nuclear safety," Ukraine warned in the text.
The six reactors of the Zaporizhia NPP continue to be fueled with uranium, although they are in the so-called "cold shutdown" mode, which means that nuclear reactions have stopped. However, the plant relies on external electricity to keep its reactors cool and to power other safety systems. This external power supply was interrupted repeatedly during the war and required the use of diesel generators on site.
An additional complication for the plant's possible restart is the collapse of the wall of the Kakhovka dam in 2023. The plant relies on water from the Dnieper River for its reservoir, forcing workers there to dig wells.
"The plant has lost its main source of cooling water, so the entire system cannot operate as originally designed," the IAEA official said.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has also been mentioned by US President Donald Trump, who is trying to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the nuclear plant in March, with the US president suggesting that "the US could restore it".