Ukraine proposes that Zaporizhia NPP be operated by joint venture including USA and Ukraine – Zelenskyy
The United States is proposing that the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant, located in the currently occupied city of Enerhodar in Zaporizhia region, be jointly managed by the United States, Ukraine, and Russia in 33%:33%:33% shares. Ukraine, however, is proposing that the plant be operated by a joint venture comprising the United States and Ukraine on a 50:50 basis, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
"The United States is proposing '33%–33%–33%,' with the Americans acting as the chief manager of this joint enterprise. It is clear that for Ukraine this sounds very unfavorable and not entirely realistic. How can there be joint commercial activity with Russians after everything that has happened?" Zelenskyy said while speaking with journalists on Tuesday.
"Our compromise proposal is as follows: the Zaporizhia plant is operated by a joint venture comprising the United States and Ukraine, fifty-fifty. But 50% of the electricity produced goes to Ukraine, while the other 50% the United States independently determines its distribution," the president said.
According to him, the issue also concerns the restoration of the Zaporizhia NPP, which is an expensive project, as it requires rebuilding the dam destroyed by the Russians, because without it the plant will not be able to operate properly.
The head of state noted that the dam is located in temporarily occupied territory, that rebuilding it would require about EUR 2 billion, and that someone needs to invest those funds. Zelenskyy believes the Russians will not invest themselves, as they are only interested in securing drinking water for Crimea.
The Kakhovka Dam and the Kakhovka Hydropower Plant, Zelenskyy said, could be rebuilt as a joint regional prosperity project with a similar operational structure, but for this to happen the Zaporizhia NPP, the Kakhovka HPP, and the city of Enerhodar must be demilitarized.
"The United States will independently determine the distribution of its share of the electricity produced [at the Zaporizhia NPP]. The Kakhovka Dam and the hydropower plant, which are necessary for the safe and normal operation of the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant, could be rebuilt as a joint regional prosperity project with a similar operational structure. But we believe that for all this to happen and function safely, the Zaporizhia NPP, the city of Enerhodar, and the Kakhovka Hydropower Plant must be demilitarized, because there are currently Russian troops there and an active war, and there is no necessary level of security," the president stressed.
According to him, it is in Ukraine's interest to have a free economic zone in Enerhodar. "In my view, the first economic zone, small but necessary, should be Enerhodar. It is in our interests, frankly, to have a small economic zone there. We believe that a free economic zone should be a demilitarized zone, because it concerns only specific economic issues and special legislation," Zelenskyy said.
In addition, the president said, a free economic zone is a potential opportunity for a sovereign state to choose a format that can accommodate the views of both sides.
"We fought for one word – 'potential.' We believe that such potential instruments as economic zones may exist for a state. This is our policy of dialogue," Zelenskyy said.