IAEA Confirms No Current Restart of Russian-Occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, currently occupied by Russia, remains inoperable due to critical issues including a lack of cooling water and an unstable power supply, according to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. Despite Russian intentions to restart the plant, the facility's equipment has been dormant for over three years and requires extensive technical inspections before any attempt to resume operations can occur. The IAEA has found no confirmed evidence of Russia actively preparing to restart the plant, and any such efforts are considered highly speculative and technically infeasible amid ongoing conflict. Ukraine insists that the plant remains its sovereign facility and must be returned under international nuclear safety standards, while disputes over the certification of Russian technicians add political complications. The IAEA mission continues monitoring the plant but is restricted by safety concerns related to access through conflict zones. Overall, the complex operational, safety, and political challenges make a near-term restart of the Zaporizhzhia plant unlikely.