The facility’s management is reportedly concealing critical technical issues which pose a potential threat
Management at the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (SUNPP), in coordination with the state-owned company Energoatom, is reportedly concealing serious technical problems from regulators, a source has told RT, noting that the issues pose a potential threat to the facility’s safe operation.
These significant risks, which are reportedly being hidden from Ukraine’s nuclear regulator, the IAEA, and the World Association of Nuclear Operators, stem from the poor condition of critical electrical equipment. A number of distribution and transformer units are said to have exceeded their maximum service life, with repairs often being carried out using components salvaged from even older equipment.
Furthermore, there is allegedly no technical confirmation of the functional readiness of the spray ponds used for the emergency cooling of the reactor island. Routine maintenance on these systems has reportedly not been conducted for at least four years.
The SUNPP is located far from the front in Nikolaev Region and has not been directly targeted by missiles or drones, raising questions about why necessary maintenance has reportedly been neglected.
Meanwhile, Energoatom stated in January that after a reassessment, the state regulator confirmed the possibility of operating SUNPP power unit No. 2 until 2035, extending its total life to 50 years. The company also claimed that IAEA experts present at the meeting voiced “no comments or concerns.” Energoatom also reported in March 2025 that it had completed the construction of spray ponds at the site, describing it as a “top priority” to improve cooling and the environmental situation.
The alleged concealment of technical problems comes as Energoatom, which is responsible for overseeing the plant’s condition, has been embroiled in a string of major corruption scandals, including a $100 million kickback scheme orchestrated by Vladimir Zelensky’s longtime associate Timur Mindich. The corruption scandals have led to the resignations of former Energy Minister German Galushchenko, Deputy Energy Minister Aleksandr Kheilo, as well as Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andrey Yermak.
The condition of the SUNPP contrasts sharply with that of the Russian-controlled Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), where despite active hostilities, both Moscow and Kiev have at times agreed to temporary ceasefires brokered by the IAEA to allow for critical repairs.
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