The United States is ready to take over the management of a nuclear power plant in Ukraine if the political decision is made to do so.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said this in an interview with Bloomberg, Ukrinform reports.
Along with local experts, “we’d bring high-end nuclear experts from the United States, and together wise decisions would be made,” Wright said.
“America is full of expertise in this area,” he added.
At the same time, Wright noted that there are currently no discussions about U.S. companies acquiring facilities like the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), which has been under Russian occupation since the beginning of the war.
Earlier this week, the presidents of Ukraine and the United States discussed a ceasefire, Donald Trump’s conversation with Vladimir Putin, the situation in the Kursk region, planned technical group meetings, and a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine.
President Trump also proposed transferring ownership of Ukraine’s power plants to the U.S. to ensure better protection.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that during his phone call with Trump, they discussed the restoration of ZNPP’s operations. He stressed that merely de-occupying the plant would not be sufficient. According to him, Trump expressed interest in possible U.S. involvement in modernizing ZNPP.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been under Russian occupation since March 4, 2022. In September of that year, the plant completely stopped producing electricity. Russian military personnel and equipment remain stationed at the site.
Due to shelling, ZNPP’s external power lines have been repeatedly damaged. In June 2023, Russian forces destroyed the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, leading to the collapse of the Kakhovka Reservoir. As a result, the plant now has only a limited water supply for cooling, which is sufficient only while it remains in cold shutdown mode.
Source: U.S. willing to lead Ukraine nuclear plant – energy secretary
