Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk reported that the occupiers are currently unable to connect the seized Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to the Russian energy system. The station is receiving electricity from the Ukrainian energy grid and is not generating it independently at the moment.
'Neither according to the assessments of IAEA experts nor our assessments do we currently see the technological capabilities to connect the ZNPP to the Russian energy system. The plant is still not generating electricity and is being supplied by the energy system of Ukraine,' Hrynchuk explained.
The minister also noted that the fires that occurred in August took place outside the station, but Russian troops still control the facility, which poses a threat to nuclear safety. After the liberation of the ZNPP from the occupiers, serious expert work will be needed to assess the condition of the station before making a decision on its restoration.
Capture of the ZNPP by Russian troops
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is the largest in Europe, was captured by Russian troops in March 2022. Since September of the same year, all six reactor units of the station have been in cold shutdown mode. The IAEA has expressed concern about the state of nuclear safety at the occupied plant.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk stated that the occupiers have not yet been able to connect the seized Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to the Russian energy system. Currently, the station is receiving electricity through the Ukrainian grid, not generating it independently. She also emphasized that after the liberation of the station from the occupiers, a serious expert assessment will need to be conducted for the restoration of the station's operations.