The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is yet another important aspect of the peace process falling under the involvement of the US war between Russia and the nation of Ukraine. This particular aspect was emphasized by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, who brought forth a peace process embracing 20 important aspects, of which this was one of them during his discussions with the former US President Donald Trump in the state of Florida.
What plans are being proposed for Zaporizhzhia?
Russia has managed the plant, which is close to the fighting lines, since March 2022. Immediately after taking over the plant, Russia showed its plan to link the plant to its power grid. Almost all countries agree that Zaporizhzhia is Ukrainian territory. However, it is considered Russian by Russia and is controlled by a subsidiary of its public nuclear company, Rosatom.
Zelensky has proposed a Ukrainian-American joint operation, with an American chief manager overseeing operations. The Ukrainian plan would allow the US to determine how to use 50% of the electricity produced. Russia, according to the Kommersant newspaper, has floated the idea of joint Russian-US use.
Trump, following discussions with Zelensky, said progress had been made, describing the facility as capable of “starting up almost immediately” and noting that Russia had refrained from bombing it.
What is the current status of the plant?
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is located at Enerhodar on the Dnipro River, close to the Kakhovka Reservoir. It is 550 km southeast of Kyiv. The plant is the largest nuclear station in Europe. It consists of six Soviet-type reactors with a total electricity-generating capacity of 5.7 gig
Currently, it is not producing electricity and relies on external power to cool nuclear material and prevent a meltdown. Over the past four years, power line interruptions occurred at least 11 times, forcing the plant to switch to diesel generators.
Both sides accuse the other of attacking the plant and cutting its connection to the electricity supply. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has already stressed that the conflict around the nuclear facility threatens nuclear and international security.
The Russian station chief has reported that the power supply might be restored “by the middle of 2027, if the war ends.”
Why does Russia want control of Zaporizhzhia?
The Kremlin has shown an interest in reviving the plant, although this depends on “regional security circumstances.” The head of Rosatom, Aleksei Likhachev, believed that “electricity generated at the Zaporozhe Nuclear Power Plant could be used to serve Ukraine’s regions.” Ukrainian experts on the issue claim that Moscow’s aim could be “filling the energy deficit” among Russians in the south.
In December 2025, the Federal Service of the Russian Federation for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision gave the license to operate Reactor No. 1 and is very instrumental in resuming activities. “Illegitimate and irresponsible acts of robbing Ukrainians of nuclear safety,” said Ukraine in condemning the move.
Why is the plant vital for Ukraine?
Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has also come under regular attacks from Russia, leaving whole regions without power supplies. The country currently has a generation deficit of 4 gigawatts, equivalent to four Zaporizhzhia reactors.
Oleksandr Kharchenko, the director of the Energy Research Center in Kyiv, thinks that the process of recreating the same capacity of power production would require five to seven years. Even if the control of the plant is regained, it would require two to three years to assess the power plant’s condition, while another three years to bring it to full operation.
Energoatom and independent analysts note that the real state of the plant remains largely unknown.
How is fuel cooling being affected?
One of the pressing considerations, ensuing from the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in the hydroelectric power station in 2023, would relate to the cooling of the reactors, as the reservoir was the main source of water to the plant. In addition to the reactors, there would also be spent fuel ponds in every plant.
According to Energoatom, the level of the cooling pond has fallen by more than 15% (3 meters) since the destruction of the dam. Moreover, the existing stock of water may only be enough for one or two reactors, which can cause It to overheat and catch fire, as witnessed at Fukushima in 2011.
Without a safe source of water, the reactors in operation, as well as the spent fuel pools, face potentially catastrophic challenges.
What are the human and geopolitical risks?
An incident at the Zaporizhzhia plant is expected to cause massive exposure to radiation, requiring the evacuation of thousands of people. The plant is close to the conflict regions, making it a priority military target, thus raising concerns among international observers and nuclear safety experts. This issue is also at the forefront of the US, Russian, and Ukrainian talks on the aspect of energy independence and security.
