Zaporozhye NPP will completely switch to Russian standards by 2030

Renat Karchaa, Advisor to the General Director of the Rosenergoatom Concern, said that the operation of the Zaporozhye NPP will be transferred to Russian standards by 2030. He stated this informed in an interview with TASS.

“Currently, the processes of analysis, specification and preparation of the relevant production processes for launch are underway. I think the transition of the Zaporozhye NPP to Russian standards will take place by 2030,” said Karchaa.

He added that the transition to domestic standards will take so much time due to the nuances that are present in the nuclear industry – this time will be spent on “forming features related to production activities, corporatism, [формирование] a new level of self-awareness and a role for people there, on the territory.”

“It’s not just the social aspects. It is also necessary to bring the regulations in line with Russian standards – a number of very subtle points,” the adviser noted. In addition, he called the project “very expensive” for Russia.

According to him, this is “an investment not only in the station itself, but also in the city, in people.” He clarified that Russia came “not for the land – Russia already has enough land” and not “for the nuclear power plant – and in this sense, everything in our state is in perfect order.”

“We have come to the people. We came to help them,” Karchaa concluded.

Russia has controlled the ZNPP since the end of February 2022. Since then, the Russian side has reported that the plant and the city of Energodar, where it is located, are subject to regular shelling from Ukraine. In early October, after the Zaporozhye region became part of Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed to take the plant facilities into federal ownership and create the Zaporozhye NPP FSUE to ensure the safety of nuclear facilities.

In early September last year, an IAEA mission headed by Director General Rafael Grossi arrived at the ZNPP. The organization called for an end to the attacks on the station and the establishment of a safe zone around it. From that moment on, the Zaporizhzhya NPP constantly are IAEA experts. The IAEA director has been promoting the idea of ​​a demilitarized zone over the past few months. In addition, at the end of March, Grossi himself arrived at the ZNPP.

March 9 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov informedthat the countries approached an agreement on the initiative, but it was blocked by the Ukrainian authorities. March 23 Grossi informedthat the idea of ​​demilitarizing the zone around the Zaporizhzhya NPP is no longer being considered – now we are talking about the cessation of hostilities in the area of ​​​​the station.