Legal protection for Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant matters for nuclear installations everywhere

This policy brief examines the safety and security risks at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) during the Russian invasion of Ukraine and evaluates the international legal frameworks designed to protect nuclear installations during armed conflict.

• The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), Europe's largest nuclear plant, has faced multiple security threats since March 2022, including the stationing of Russian military equipment in turbine halls, shelling of the nitrogen-oxygen station, and damage to offsite power supplies and reactor buildings.
• The most immediate risk to ZNPP is the failure of external power supplies, which are critical for cooling reactors and spent fuel ponds to prevent a nuclear accident. The plant has experienced complete loss of offsite power on multiple occasions, and the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam on 6 June 2023 significantly dropped water levels in the reservoir used for cooling.
• Protection of nuclear installations during armed conflict is primarily governed by customary international law, the Rules of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and Additional Protocols I and II to the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit attacks that may cause the release of dangerous forces and severe civilian losses.
• The Pelindaba Treaty is the only binding multilateral treaty that specifically prohibits armed attacks on nuclear installations, applying specifically to the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone.
• Existing legal protections are often undermined by political considerations or vague interpretations of what constitutes a prohibited 'attack'. The author argues that new conventions are not the solution, as they could add complexity and weaken protections; instead, the focus should be on strengthening the enforcement and accountability of existing frameworks.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2023). Legal protection for Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant matters for nuclear installations everywhere. https://saiia.org.za/research/legal-protection-for-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-matters-for-nuclear-installations-everywhere/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Legal protection for Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant matters for nuclear installations everywhere. 2023. https://saiia.org.za/research/legal-protection-for-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-matters-for-nuclear-installations-everywhere/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Legal protection for Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant matters for nuclear installations everywhere |date=28 November 2023 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/legal-protection-for-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-matters-for-nuclear-installations-everywhere/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2023legal, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Legal protection for Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant matters for nuclear installations everywhere}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/legal-protection-for-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-matters-for-nuclear-installations-everywhere/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }