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Russia Reasserts Control of Zaporizhzhia Plant as IAEA Calls for Special Status

Experts warn the proposed IAEA-supervised power-sharing restart is technically unworkable, with significant safety risks.

Overview

  • IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said on Nov. 25 the site would need a special status and a cooperative arrangement between Russia and Ukraine under any peace deal.
  • A U.S.-backed draft plan envisions restarting the plant under IAEA oversight with electricity split between the two countries, a concept circulating in recent Geneva talks.
  • Russian officials declared the facility federal property operated by a Kremlin-designated company under a presidential decree, rejecting suggestions of a transfer to Ukraine.
  • Nuclear specialists call shared operation unrealistic due to unsynchronized power grids, lengthy fuel changes and unresolved security risks, and some question the IAEA's suitability as a guarantor.
  • All six reactors remain in cold shutdown, reliant on external power lines for safety systems, and the loss of the Kakhovka Reservoir complicates any attempt to restart.