Likhachev said that ZNPP will resume operation when the political environment is suitable

The operation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant (ZNPP) will be resumed as soon as the military and political situation allows it. This was announced by the director general of Rosatom state corporation, Aleksey Likhachev, on the air of the Rossiya 24 TV channel (VGTRK) on February 19.

According to him, Rosatom is preparing a "big program" of ZNPP operation.

"Work on preparations for the launch of the nuclear power plant is now in full swing, and we will move to it as soon as the military and political situation allows it," the director general of the state corporation said.

He also pointed out that the situation that has developed at the Zaporizhzhya NPP currently does not allow for the rotation of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"Two rotations have already been disrupted, disrupted because of the rash actions of the AFU, I would say, because of provocative actions. It is absolutely clear that the movement of IAEA experts Kiev is trying to use to solve political and tactical problems. This cannot be allowed," Likhachev said, adding that the state corporation will seek "absolutely safe" conditions for the rotation.

Nuclear rotation: why the AFU disrupted the change of IAEA experts at Zaporizhzhya NPP

Vehicles in a convoy with representatives of an international organization were damaged due to Ukrainian attacks

The day before, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expressed hope that the rotation of experts at ZNPP would take place in the coming days. The planned rotation of experts was supposed to take place as early as February 5, but was postponed to February 12. It did not take place on that day either.

Australian political scientist Mark Lowe, in turn, called the repeated disruptions of the IAEA expert rotation an attempt by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (his term expired in May 2024) to distract attention from the telephone conversation between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump.

On February 14, it was reported that an attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) knocked out the only 330 kV Ferrosplavnaya-1 power supply line at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant.