The tension around the Zaporizhia NPP does not subside

Despite the fact that on the eve of the leadership of the Zaporizhia NPP denied Kiev’s reports that Russian representatives had damaged the fuel tank at their own nuclear power plant, Ukrainian analysts continued to develop the topic of the alleged insecurity of Russian control over the NPP. Kiev is striving to keep on the agenda the issue of its possible transfer to the jurisdiction of the United States within the framework of the agreement on Ukrainian resources. According to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, this agreement, previously recognized as predatory by the Ukrainian expert community, has already grown from the original four pages to 60 and may be signed next week.

Russians deliberately damaged a diesel fuel tank at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, Olga Kosharnaya, a Kiev expert on nuclear energy and nuclear safety, told reporters on Thursday. According to her, the Russian side took this step in order to completely reconnect the plant to the united energy system of Russia. After that, they intend to put into operation one of the six nuclear power plant units to supply electricity to the regions controlled by the Russian Federation.

The intention attributed to Moscow to damage the fuel tank in order to disconnect from the Ukrainian power lines later looked unconvincing, since the availability of fuel reserves is necessary to ensure the operation of diesel generators, which serve as a safety net in case of termination of external power supply to the nuclear power plant.

Similar arguments were voiced after the director of the NPP, Yuri Chernichuk, denied reports from Ukrainian representatives about damage to equipment at the station. “The information disseminated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine about the damage to fuel tanks is false. The station is in a safe condition,” the station’s press service quoted Chernichuk’s explanations on its Telegram channel.

The Russian military took control of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe, in March 2022. And in the autumn of the same year, the corresponding region became part of the Russian Federation following a referendum. At the same time, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) periodically continued to strike at the nuclear power plant, assuring that Russia was behind them. One of the largest attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces was the undermining of the Kakhovskaya GRES dam in June 2023, as a result of which the local reservoir became shallow and the water supply to the NPP became more complicated, all six units of which are now in a state of “cold shutdown”.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said at a briefing the other day that without the help of the Ukrainian side, Russia would not be able to launch the NPP. He also said that he had discussed with US President Donald Trump the issue of possible joint operation of the plant if Washington helps Kiev to return the nuclear power plant and invest in its modernization.

And the very next day, the speaker of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Georgy Tikhy, informed on social networks about the damage to the reservoir of the nuclear power plant, as a result of which diesel fuel was poured out, which would be enough to power the station’s emergency generators for 25 days. And in order to prevent new accidents, it is necessary to return the NPP to the control of Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry spokesman specified.

Although the head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, told reporters that the NPP is “professionally controlled and managed by Russia.” According to him, with the cessation of hostilities, the power units at the station can be gradually launched in a few months.

Igor Yushkov, a leading analyst at the National Energy Security Fund and the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, confirmed in an interview with NG that the above explanations of relevant Ukrainian experts looked strange. As you know, he noted, a nuclear power plant needs energy to cool the reactors. And in this sense, diesel generators are an obligatory safety net, which requires the presence of fuel in the tanks.

In other words, it made no sense for Russia to destroy the backup power supply system at its own nuclear power plant, designed to ensure its safety. “Today in Kiev, obviously, they would also like to demonstrate that the Russian side is not capable of operating a nuclear power plant. And therefore, at the same time, they promised access to the nuclear power plant to the Americans so that they could help take the station away from Moscow. But it seems that the US representatives are more interested in the possibility of controlling the three remaining Ukrainian nuclear power plants,” Igor Yushkov explained.

At the same time, he added, it would not be necessary for the American administration, within the framework of the agreement on Ukrainian resources currently under discussion, to seek the transfer of largely obsolete nuclear power plants to the possession of the United States. “Washington is probably interested in ensuring that nuclear power plants remain the property of the Ukrainian state, and American companies would continue to participate in the sale of electricity generated at nuclear power plants. Such a scheme would also make it possible to realize one of President Donald Trump’s election promises about the return of funds spent by Washington on supporting Kiev,” Igor Yushkov said.

It is noteworthy that the former Minister of Housing and Communal Services, former first Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (Verkhovna Rada) Committee on Fuel and Energy Complex, nuclear Policy and nuclear Safety Alexey Kucherenko said in an interview the other day that the privatization of nuclear energy is not allowed by Ukrainian legislation. Therefore, in his opinion, negotiations with representatives of the United States could only be about participation in the return and subsequent restart of the nuclear power plant. At the same time, commenting on the statements of Washington’s representatives that the transfer of Ukrainian nuclear power plants under his control would also protect nuclear power plants from the threat of attacks from Russia, the ex-minister warned that one could go so far and transfer to the Americans also “ports, bridges, railways, factories,” and then parliament, the Cabinet of Ministers. and the president’s office.” “The country will simply end there,” Kucherenko stressed.

Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant told reporters that the agreement on Ukrainian resources is currently being studied in Kiev. And as Washington admits, it can be signed as early as next week. According to reports, this document, originally intended as a framework document, contained only four pages. But then it was updated and expanded to 60 pages, where not only rare earth metals are mentioned, but virtually all minerals of Ukraine, as well as infrastructure facilities related to their extraction, including seaports. Although the nuclear power plant was not mentioned in the project.

In turn, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a deputy of the Verkhovna Rada from the Golos party, clarified at a briefing on Thursday that the prepared agreement on mineral resources is extremely unprofitable for Ukraine. The document provides for Washington’s control over all Ukrainian resources, as well as future infrastructure projects, the proceeds of which are supposed to be transferred abroad and distributed according to the decision of the United States. At the same time, there are no security guarantees for Ukraine in the document, Zheleznyak added. He said that the agreement could not be ratified by Parliament in this form.