The issue of ensuring the safety of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains the main prerequisite for making any decisions regarding its future. This was emphasized by Joshua Voltz, the U.S. Department of Energy’s special envoy for energy integration, during the visit of a delegation of American officials to Kyiv.
This is reported by Kyiv24
The safety of the plant is the top priority for the international community
Joshua Voltz stressed that the safe operation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP is a key issue for both the U.S. government and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). According to him, until full safety of the facility is ensured, discussions about the future management of the plant or its status are premature.
“In my opinion, the primary principle and the most important aspect – both from our perspective and from the IAEA’s position – is the safety of this facility. It is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, and its role in the broader energy architecture of Europe is extremely important.”
According to Voltz, only after ensuring safety can discussions take place regarding who will control the plant and its further role in the energy system of Ukraine and Europe.
Zaporizhzhia NPP under the control of occupying forces: current situation
Voltz also noted that the Zaporizhzhia NPP remains a critically important element of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Its status and safety also depend on the finalization of an agreement between the Russian Federation and Ukraine regarding the end of the war. President Volodymyr Zelensky previously reported that the issue of the Zaporizhzhia NPP remains one of the two unresolved matters during peace negotiations.
In April 2026, the IAEA recorded yet another, the thirteenth since the beginning of the occupation, complete disconnection of the Zaporizhzhia NPP from external electricity supply due to damage to the last power line. After the connection to Ukraine’s energy system was restored, the plant lost power again for about 40 minutes.
Since 2022, all six reactors of the Zaporizhzhia NPP have been in a state of cold shutdown. IAEA experts remain on site to monitor safety, especially during regular shelling. The occupying forces seized the facility at the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since then, the plant has not been generating electricity, and the conflicting parties periodically accuse each other of actions that pose a threat to nuclear safety.