All nine nuclear power units located in Ukraine-controlled territory are operating in the power system, as reported by national atomic energy company (NAEC) Energoatom.

On December 18, 2022, as of 13:00, all nine nuclear power units located in Ukraine-controlled territory were operating. However, the total capacity of the two units is limited by more than 600 MW due to the unpreparedness of the energy system to receive from them the full possible amount of electricity, as the energy infrastructure facilities have not yet been restored after the shelling of December 16.

Nuclear power plant operator NAEC Energoatom

The Company reminded that another six power units of the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP are stopped and their switching on is blocked by the Russian attacks, while the plant continues to constantly consume about 100 MW for its own needs from the power system of Ukraine.

As reported, after the November 23 shelling, all power units of Ukrainian nuclear power plants were disconnected from the grid. On December 13, after remedial repairs, the ninth 1000 MW unit was connected to the power grid, and by the new massive Russian shelling in the morning of November 16, all nine units of the Southern-Ukrainian, Rivne and Khmelnitsky NPPs, which are located in Ukraine controlled territory, were active.

According to Jacob Hartmut, vice president of NAEC Energoatom, the December 16 shelling resulted in the total operating capacity of the plants under control decreasing from 7 to 1.5 thousand MW. There are four operating nuclear power plants in Ukraine, including 15 units, equipped with water-water power reactors with a total installed electric capacity of 13.835 GW. Apart from ZNPP with six 1000 MW units, there is Rivne NPP (four units, two 1000 MW and two 440 MW), Pivdenno-Ukrainian NPP (three 1000 MW units) and Khmelnitsky NPP (two 1000 MW units).

NAEC expects the infrastructure to be restored as soon as possible to enable the full available capacity from domestic NPPs as soon as possible.