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Russia Reportedly Plans to Restart Occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant With New Power Lines
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Satellite imagery confirms Russia is constructing new power lines in occupied southern Ukraine to connect the seized Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to its own power grid, according to a new Greenpeace report shared with The New York Times on May 27.
The images, independently verified by The Times, show over 80 kilometers of transmission lines and towers being installed between occupied Mariupol and Berdyansk along the Azov Sea. The project appears aimed at linking the infrastructure to a substation near Mariupol, which was previously connected to the Zaporizhzhia plant located roughly 225 kilometers to the west.
“Putin’s plan for restarting the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant depends on securing new electricity transmission lines. This is the first physical evidence of those plans,” said Shaun Burnie, nuclear specialist at Greenpeace Ukraine.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was occupied by Russian forces in early 2022. All six reactors were subsequently shut down due to combat risks, with the last taken offline in 2023. Experts and Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned that any attempt to restart the plant under current wartime conditions poses a serious safety threat.
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Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko stated that “any attempts by Russian representatives to restart power units could lead to unpredictable consequences.”
Despite this, Russia has signaled plans to return the facility to full operation. Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev said a restoration roadmap is already in place and referred to 2024 as a potential launch year. A key barrier, he noted, is the destruction of critical transmission infrastructure.
Of the four 750kV lines that once connected the plant to Ukraine’s power system, two cross into territory still controlled by Ukraine. The other two, located in occupied areas, were damaged by shelling. At most, only one has been partially restored, according to Ukrainian nuclear expert Olha Kosharna.
Greenpeace analysts warn Russia must construct several additional lines to make the plant operational within its own energy system, a process that remains incomplete.
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told CBS News that the plant is managed by the state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom, adding that he does not foresee “any changes” to its status. Rosatom and Russia’s Ministry of Energy declined to comment on the ongoing construction.
Energy experts stress the risks remain high. The plant’s location, just kilometers from the front line in occupied Zaporizhzhia region, makes any safe operation impossible.
Earlier, Russia stated that it is open to discussing the possible involvement of US personnel at the temporary occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant as part of a broader political agreement, according to the head of the state nuclear corporation Rosatom.
