The United States has sensitive nuclear technology at a nuclear power plant inside Ukraine and is warning Russia not to touch it, according to a letter the US Department of Energy sent to Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy company Rosatom last month.
In the letter, reviewed by CNN and dated March 17, 2023, the director of the Energy Department’s Office of Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy, Andrea Verkel, told Rosatom’s director general that the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Enrhdar, Ukraine, “has a US source.” Nuclear technical data subject to export control by the United States government.
Goods, software, and technology are subject to U.S. export controls when they could be used in a way that undermines U.S. national security interests.
The Energy Ministry’s message comes as Russian forces continue to control the plant, which is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and is located in a part of the Zaporizhzhya region that Russia occupied after its invasion of Ukraine last February. The plant has often been disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to intense Russian bombing in the region, raising fears across Europe of a nuclear accident.
While the plant is still run by Ukrainian employees, Rosatom runs it. The Energy Ministry warned Rosatom in the letter that it is “illegal” for any Russian citizen or entity to deal with American technology.
CNN has contacted Rosatom for comment.
It is not clear whether Rosatom has responded to the letter. The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration told CNN in a statement that the message was authentic.
The messages were first reported by news outlet RBC Ukraine.
“The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration can confirm that the message is legitimate,” said Shayla Hassan, deputy director of public affairs at the National Nuclear Security Administration.
She added: “The Secretary of Energy has legal responsibility for allowing the transfer of unclassified civilian nuclear technology and providing assistance to foreign atomic energy activities.” The Department of Energy does not comment on regulatory activities.”
Another letter from Verkel to the DOE Inspector General, reviewed by CNN dated October 24, 2022, outlines technology the US exported to Ukraine for use at the Zaporizhzhya plant, and reiterates that the Department “has no record of any current license to transfer this technology and technical data.” To any Russian citizen or entity.”
The Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy has announced US support for the plant This was stated on its website in June 2021 “The United States helped implement new maintenance procedures and operations at the reactor that will ultimately enhance energy security” in Ukraine.
revision: This post incorrectly described the news outlet that first reported the messages. It was RBC Ukraine.