Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant: US warns Russia not to touch US nuclear technology in Ukrainian nuclear power plant

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(CNN) The United States has sensitive nuclear technology at a nuclear power plant in Ukraine and is warning Russia not to touch it, according to a letter the US Department of Energy sent to the nuclear power company Russian Rosatom last month.

In the letter, which has been reviewed by CNN and is dated March 17, 2023, the director of the Department of Energy’s Office of Nonproliferation Policy, Andrea Ferkile, tells Rosatom’s chief executive that the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia to Enerhodar “contains nuclear techniques of American origin.” data whose export is controlled by the United States government. »

Goods, software, and technology are subject to U.S. export controls when there is a possibility that they will be used in a manner that harms U.S. national security interests.

The Department of Energy’s letter comes as Russian forces continue to control the plant, which is Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and is located in a part of the Zaporizhzhia region that Russia occupied after its invasion of Ukraine last February. The plant has often been disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to intense Russian bombardment in the region, raising fears across Europe of a nuclear accident.

While the plant is still physically operated by Ukrainian personnel, Rosatom manages it. The Energy Department warned Rosatom in the letter that it is “illegal” for any Russian citizen or entity to manipulate US technology.

CNN has contacted Rosatom for comment.

“It is illegal under United States law for unauthorized persons, including but not limited to Russian citizens and Russian entities,” the letter states, “such as Rosatom and its affiliates, to access knowingly and intentionally possess, control, export, store, seize, examine, re-export, ship, transfer, copy, manipulate such technology or technical data, or direct or authorize others to do the same, without such Russian entities only become authorized recipients by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy.”

It is unclear whether Rosatom responded to the letter. The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration told CNN in a statement that the letter was genuine.

The letters were first reported by media outlet RBC Ukraine.

“The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration can confirm that the letter is legitimate,” said Shayela Hassan, deputy director of public affairs for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

She added, “The Secretary of Energy has statutory responsibility to authorize the transfer of unclassified civilian nuclear technology and assistance to foreign atomic energy activities. The DOE does not comment on regulatory activities.”

Another letter from Ferkile to the Energy Department’s Inspector General, reviewed by CNN and dated October 24, 2022, outlines technology the United States exported to Ukraine for use at the Zaporizhzhia plant. and reiterates that the department has “no record of any current authorization to transfer this technology and technical data to any Russian national or entity.”

The Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy made public U.S. support for the plant and said on its website in June 2021 that “the United States has helped implement new procedures and maintenance operations at the reactor which should ultimately strengthen energy security” in Ukraine.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misattributed which outlet first reported the letters. It was RBC Ukraine.

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