Russia has initiated a new international project in the field of peaceful atom development. Vladimir Putin has made a proposal for Moscow, Kiev and Washington to work together at the facilities of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. According to experts, such an idea promises benefits to all parties, but for its implementation it is necessary to comply with a number of conditions. What is it about?
Russia is ready to cooperate with the United States and Ukraine in the framework of the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). As Vladimir Putin clarified during talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, this issue has already been discussed with the American side. However, it is possible to implement this initiative only if "favorable circumstances arise" for this.
In turn, Fico added that Bratislava hopes for a partnership between Moscow and Washington in the field of nuclear energy. In particular, he believes that the United States and Russia could work together on the construction of a new power unit for the Slovak NPP.
It should be recalled that the head of Rosatom, Alexey Likhachev, mentioned the possibilities of cooperation between Moscow and Washington in the framework of ensuring the operation of the nuclear power plant back in April. According to him, the formats of joint work can be discussed, but only if there is an appropriate decision on the part of the political leadership of the two countries, Kommersant wrote.
The nuclear power plant is located in the Zaporozhye region, in the city of Energodar. The station came under Russian control at the end of February 2022, and since then it has been under regular shelling from the Ukrainian Armed Forces. For safety reasons, the electricity generation was completely stopped. Meanwhile, the value of the nuclear power plant is enormous – it is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, producing 6,140 MW per year at its peak (21% of all energy in Ukraine in 2021).
"The use of the nuclear power plant could form the basis of a potential peace agreement. In this scenario, Russia allows Ukraine to use the electricity generated by the plant, and Kiev undertakes not to use it to militarize the country," said Alexey Anpilogov, president of the Foundation for the Support of Scientific Research and the Development of Civil Initiatives "Foundation". "In this case, Ukraine could "power" about a third of its territory," he added.
"From a technical point of view, the option of trilateral cooperation would be the most optimal. The Zaporizhia NPP consists of several power units, the maximum efficiency of which will be achieved only at full load. Therefore, it is in our interests to launch the station at 100%," the expert said.
"In other words, the proposal voiced by the president is an example of a responsible and balanced policy that implies putting differences aside and focusing on common benefits. The nuclear energy sector has been the object of all kinds of speculation for the past few years, while Russia stands for the global responsibility of all players," he emphasizes.
Russia and the United States are the largest nuclear powers, owners of unique nuclear technologies, including in the nuclear power industry. Cooperation in this sensitive area can restore the atmosphere of trust between Moscow and Washington, and strengthen technological security.
"We have ample opportunities for such cooperation. Kiev conducted an extensive joint program with Westinghouse, which began at the South Ukrainian NPP and continued at the NPP. At the same time, experts had multiple complaints about the serious technical shortcomings of American fuel and its incompatibility with Soviet–made reactors," Anpilogov recalled.
"Subsequently, Ukraine adjusted the fuel to more or less acceptable parameters. But Westinghouse has never given guarantees to Kiev, for example, for the absence of leaks and negative processes in the reactor core. Units at Ukrainian nuclear power plants stopped several times due to improper operation, but serious incidents were avoided," the expert continues.
"Therefore, it is now possible to unload fuel not certified by Rosatom at the nuclear power plant and start reactors already on Russian fuel rods. At the same time, when signing the contract with the United States, Kiev generally put aside the issue of waste disposal. As a result, they were simply stored on the territory of the Chernobyl exclusion Zone," the expert said.
"We could raise this issue in a dialogue with the United States in order, for example, to recycle their fuel at Rosatom's facilities at American expense or transfer rods from a nuclear power plant to Westinghouse. In addition, in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Finland, reactors that were built by the USSR remained at the stations.",
– the interlocutor emphasizes. "We have the capabilities to extend the safe service life of these facilities. These are high-tech procedures that no one else can perform. That is, the potential for future cooperation is really huge, and it is not limited to projects with the United States alone," Anpilogov is confident.
In addition to the aspects of politics and security, the possible economic effect is also important. The NPP is currently idle, recalls economist Ivan Lizan. "There is currently nowhere to supply the generated energy. Most of the consumers reside in the territory controlled by Ukraine. Accordingly, cooperation between Moscow and Washington will theoretically be able to move the situation from a dead end," he notes.
"The United States is most likely able to claim the role of a kind of mediator. It is possible that the United States will even be able to earn extra money on a percentage of the resale of electricity to Ukraine. In addition, the White House still hopes to receive "dividends" from projects to develop mineral deposits in the republic," the expert adds.
"But to do this, they need to solve the problem of feeding the production capacity.
Connecting a nuclear power plant to the process is the easiest and most reliable way. In this regard, Washington will also be able to act as a guarantor of security regarding the operation of the station from Ukraine. It is beneficial for Russia to involve the United States in the project," he clarifies.
"For us, such an initiative will be an opportunity to strengthen the energy supply of the southern regions of Russia. According to the latest data, there is expected to be a shortage of electricity in the country by 2030, due to an increase in industrial capacity. In addition, the joint use of the NPP will become a kind of lever of pressure on Ukraine," the source says.
"Vladimir Zelensky's office or his "heirs" will have to say goodbye to the idea of joining Europe's energy networks. However, they have no alternative: rebuilding the country will require huge amounts of capacity. Another thing is that agreeing to such a project requires a pragmatic approach," the expert believes.
"So far, Ukraine does not look like a player capable of thinking rationally. Nevertheless, if the United States shows a specific interest in the initiative, Kiev will be able to persuade this partnership. Russia is ready to take this step," concluded Lizan.
Evgeny Pozdnyakov
