The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant should receive a “special status” and become the subject of a separate cooperation agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation in the event of a peace agreement being signed. This was stated by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Possible Cooperation Mechanisms for ZNPP
Rafael Grossi emphasized that regardless of which side of the demarcation line the Zaporizhzhia NPP ends up on, “there will need to be a cooperation agreement or an atmosphere of cooperation.” This issue has arisen amid diplomatic efforts to achieve a peace agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
The head of the IAEA stressed that without establishing peace, there is a constant threat of a nuclear accident. He noted:
“As long as the war continues, there will be no ceasefire or silencing of weapons, there is always the likelihood that something could go very, very wrong. No single operator can use a nuclear power plant when there is another country across the river that is resisting this and may take action against it,” quoted Rafael Grossi by Reuters.
Plans for Restarting and Ensuring the Safety of the Plant
One of the options for a peace plan for Ukraine, supported by the United States, involves restarting the Zaporizhzhia NPP under IAEA control. According to this plan, the electricity produced would be equally distributed between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
Currently, all six reactors of the Zaporizhzhia NPP are in a cold shutdown state since 2022. The IAEA is continuously present at the site to monitor safety, especially during shelling.
The largest nuclear power plant in Europe was seized by Russian troops in the first weeks of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The plant is currently not generating electricity, and both sides of the conflict regularly accuse each other of actions that jeopardize the nuclear safety of the facility.