Only Rosatom entitled to control, manage, ensure safety of Zaporozhye NPP - Likhachev

MOSCOW. Dec 23 (Interfax) - Rosatom is the only operator established in strict compliance with Russian law that is entitled to control, manage and ensure the safety of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, Rosatom head Alexei Likhachev said.

"The question often arises of whether anyone besides Rosatom can manage and control the plant. The answer is that there is just one entity, one operator that is established in strict compliance with Russian law, that can control, manage and ensure safety, and such an operator does exist. It is currently ensuring the plant's safe operation under the most difficult combat conditions," Likhachev told the press on Tuesday.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said earlier that the possibility of joint control of the Zaporozhye NPP, located on Russian territory, was being discussed at Ukraine talks.

The Zaporozhye NPP with six VVER-1000 reactor units is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. It stopped generating electricity on September 11, 2022. All six reactors are in a cold shutdown.