The United States has issued a warning to Russia regarding sensitive American nuclear technology located at a Ukrainian nuclear facility. This caution was communicated through a letter from the US Department of Energy to Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear energy company, last month.
Dated March 17, 2023, the letter from Andrea Ferkile, head of the Energy Department’s Office of Nonproliferation Policy, informed Rosatom's director general that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar contains US-origin nuclear technical data, which is controlled under US export regulations. Such controls are in place to prevent the misuse of goods, software, and technology that could threaten US national security.
The letter was sent amidst ongoing Russian control of the plant, which is the largest nuclear facility in Europe and located in a region occupied by Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February of the previous year. Frequent disconnections from Ukraine’s power grid due to Russian shelling have heightened fears of a potential nuclear incident in Europe.
Though Ukrainian staff continue to operate the plant, Rosatom oversees its management. The US Energy Department emphasized to Rosatom that it is illegal for Russian individuals or entities to handle the American technology without authorization.
CNN has sought comments from Rosatom regarding the letter, which states that unauthorized access, handling, or transfer of the technology by Russian citizens or entities, including Rosatom and its subsidiaries, is prohibited unless authorized by the US Secretary of Energy.
It remains unclear if Rosatom has responded. The Energy Department’s National Nuclear Security Administration confirmed the letter's authenticity to CNN. The letters were initially reported by RBC Ukraine.
Shayela Hassan, deputy director of public affairs for the National Nuclear Security Administration, confirmed the letter's legitimacy and noted that the Secretary of Energy is responsible for approving the transfer of unclassified civilian nuclear technology to foreign entities. The department declined to comment on specific regulatory actions.
Another letter from Ferkile to the Energy Department’s Inspector General, dated October 24, 2022, detailed the US technology provided to Ukraine for the Zaporizhzhia plant and reiterated the lack of authorization for transferring this technology to any Russian entity.
The Energy Department’s Office of Nuclear Energy has openly supported the Zaporizhzhia plant, highlighting on its website in June 2021 the US role in enhancing maintenance and operations to bolster Ukraine's energy security.