Three countries want to operate huge nuclear power plant in Ukraine

« Some say that the United States should own the nuclear power plant, as we have the expertise, » said Donald Trump in connection with the Russian-American negotiations in Saudi Arabia.

White House spokesman Karoline Leavitt has subsequently argued that American ownership in Ukrainian nuclear power would mean « the best protection » for that type of infrastructure and for Ukraine’s energy supply.

President Zelenskyj has found that the nuclear power plant in the city of Enerhodar in Zaporizjzja Oblast is owned by the Ukrainian state and that it is a national matter. Something that is not negotiable in the event of a possible peace agreement. At the same time, he keeps the door open some kind of energy agreement with the United States.

For Ukraine’s largest The cloud of concern is the fact that Europe’s largest nuclear plant is under Russian control. Since the southeastern Ukrainian region was occupied, the Russians have argued that both the region and the nuclear power plant belong to Russia.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has described it as the energy plant « regained Russian ownership » and that the only thing that remains is a recognition of the international community. Transferring control to « Ukraine or any other country would be impossible », the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a statement at the end of March.

The nuclear power plant in Zaporizjzja was mainly built during the Soviet era and has historically been important for the Ukrainian energy supply. With all six reactors in progress, the plant has produced electricity that corresponds to about half of the entire country’s electricity supply, according to Per Högelius, professor of technology history at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and expert on energy crisis, transnational systems and geopolitical addictions.

Since the Russian invasion of Crimea and Donbass 2014, Ukraine’s ability to extract coal power has been limited and the country has become even more dependent on nuclear power.

– Ukraine has a large proportion of nuclear power in its electricity mix. Much larger than most countries in the world, says Per Högelius.

Currently producing The nuclear power plant in Zaporizjzja no electricity. A reactor was held earlier with limited effect to maintain certain technical functions and to provide the nearby city of Enerhodar with heat.

– It was and still is uncertain external circumstances. Normally, there are a number of high voltage lines that lead both to and from a large nuclear power plant. Now everyone is except one down and destroyed, it is an unstable situation because nuclear safety is dependent on the fact that there is electricity, says Per Högelius.

From a technical point of view, the Russian and Ukrainian electricity grids are combined in a way that means that Russia, which thus claims to be entitled to the nuclear power plant, could take part in the electricity produced in Zaporizjzja. But restarting electricity production in the event of a possible peace agreement could very well take many years, according to Per Högelius.

On June 6, 2023, Russia blasted Kachovkadammen which fitted the nuclear power plant with cooling water. An organic and economic disaster for the area, and for a restart it would need to be rebuilt and the water reservoir is filled. Before the Russian invasion, work was also underway to extend the lifetime of the reactors, which needs to be resumed. In addition, maintenance has been neglected during the war.

– It could be commissioned again and it can certainly be profitable, compared to building new. But it will take many years, it is a bleak picture overall, says Per Högelius.

Before the full -scale invasion Then Ukraine had made herself independent of Russian nuclear fuel. The reactors in Zaporizjzja and in other parts of the country are run on fuel from the American company Westinghouse.

But that the United States would take over the operation of the nuclear power plant itself is unlikely, according to Jakob Hedenskog, analyst at the Center for Eastern European Studies at the Foreign Policy Institute. For example, the Americans have no experience of running reactors of Soviet origin.

« This is an example of the type of blackmail that the Trump administration is engaged in, » he says, drawing a parallel to the negotiations on a mineral agreement between the US and Ukraine.

An agreement on the extraction of the Ukrainian natural riches was originally a proposal from President Zelenskyj, but which in the latest proposal that is on the table would mean that Ukraine is forced to give up large parts of the income for, among other things, rare earth metals to the United States.

– If you give Trump a little finger, he tries to take his whole hand and it is the same here. The Trump administration claims that this should constitute an alternative to security guarantees for Ukraine. That Russia should not attack if there are US economic interests there. It has been disproved before, there were great American interests even in 2022. Not least current extraction of gas, says Jakob Hedenskog.

It did not prevent Russia’s invasion and the American engineers then left Ukraine.

For Russia is not Potential electricity generation in Zaporizjzja The main reason why the country wants control over and claims its right to the facility, he says.

– It is primarily that Ukraine should not be a functioning state. One way to force Ukraine into submission, says Jakob Hedenskog.