Russia builds power lines to connect occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to its grid, NYT reports

Russia is constructing power lines in occupied southern Ukraine in an apparent attempt to link the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) to its energy grid, the New York Times reported on May 27, citing a new Greenpeace report.

The Zaporizhzhia plant, the largest nuclear facility in Europe and one of the ten largest globally, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022.

Satellite imagery included in the report shows that since early February 2025, Russian forces have laid over 80 kilometers (49 miles) of high-voltage lines between occupied Mariupol and Berdyansk, following the coastline of the Sea of Azov.

Greenpeace experts believe the construction aims to connect the new lines to a large substation near Mariupol, which could, in turn, be linked to the ZNPP, which is located some 225 kilometers (some 139 miles) away.

It sits in the city of Enerhodar in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast, on the east bank of the Dnipro River, which remains under Russian control. Ukrainian authorities have no access to the site or its surrounding infrastructure.

Shaun Burnie, a nuclear specialist at Greenpeace, said that the satellite evidence offers the first concrete confirmation of Russian President Vladimir Putin's plans to restart the plant and permanently integrate it into Russia's grid.

The construction of power infrastructure indicates long-term intentions to seize full control of Ukraine's energy assets in the occupied regions.

Russia has repeatedly asserted ownership over the plant based on its illegal annexation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in September 2022, despite the fact that Ukraine retains control over much of the oblast, including its administrative center.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly expressed concern over the safety of the plant, where shelling and the presence of armed troops have led to multiple emergency shutdowns and power disruptions.

The U.S. has reportedly proposed that control over the ZNPP be returned to Ukraine before transferring its management to the U.S. to supply electricity to areas under both Ukrainian and Russian control. Russia immediately rejected the suggestion.

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