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Why is US Warning Russia Against Touching Nuclear Technology at Zaporizhzhia Power Plant?


Last Updated: April 19, 2023, 23:58 IST

This photo shows a general view of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, amid the ongoing Russian military action in Ukraine. (AFP)

This photo shows a general view of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, amid the ongoing Russian military action in Ukraine. (AFP)

The warning was issued in a letter dated March 17, reviewed by CNN, and comes amid fears of a nuclear accident due to Russian control of the plant

US Department of Energy has issued a warning to Rosatom, Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy firm, not to access sensitive nuclear technology at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

The warning was issued in a letter dated March 17, reviewed by CNN, and comes amid fears of a nuclear accident due to Russian control of the plant. The plant is the largest nuclear power station in Europe and is located in a part of the Zaporizhzhia region occupied by Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The Energy Department’s director of the Office of Nonproliferation Policy, Andrea Ferkile, wrote in the letter that the nuclear power plant in Enerhodar “contains US-origin nuclear technical data that is export-controlled by the United States Government.”

The letter warned that it is “unlawful” for any Russian citizens or entities, including Rosatom and its subsidiaries, to handle the US technology without becoming authorized recipients by the Secretary of the US Department of Energy.

The US export controls cover goods, software, and technology that could be used in a way that undermines US national security interests.

Rosatom manages the Zaporizhzhia plant while Ukrainian staff operates it. Although it is not clear whether Rosatom has responded to the letter, the Energy Department has emphasized that it is authentic. CNN reached out to Rosatom for comment, but the firm has yet to provide a statement.

The Energy Department has previously stated on its website that it supported the Zaporizhzhia plant’s implementation of new maintenance procedures and operations that would ultimately strengthen energy security in Ukraine.

However, the Energy Department’s warning comes at a time when there is growing concern about the security of the nuclear power plant.

The plant has been disconnected from Ukraine’s power grid multiple times due to intense shelling in the area. This has raised fears across Europe of a nuclear accident, particularly if the Russian occupation continues and if the US-origin nuclear technical data is accessed.

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