Dhe head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, was able to visit the Ukrainian nuclear power plant at Zaporizhia, which is occupied by Russian troops, for the third time on Thursday. In doing so, he and IAEA experts apparently gained access to the water inlets that ensure the cooling of the power plant and its fuel rods.
Grossi said in a video distributed on Thursday evening that his visit was intended to determine the consequences of the Kakhovka dam rupture on the Dnipro River for the nuclear power plant. The IAEA had previously requested that they be able to inspect the level measuring point themselves.
One of the videos distributed by the Vienna-based UN organization suggests that this was made possible. With the river as a backdrop, Grossi said it was evident that the water level was falling all the time. It is important that the water in the neighboring cooling pond stays at its level so that the power plant can be cooled. “Obviously this won’t go on for very long, a few months maybe. The power plant will work to replenish and conserve water through alternative measures.” The situation will continue to be closely monitored.
Agreement on security zone “not realistic”
According to Russian media reports, the director-general of the Atomic Energy Agency said the situation is “serious” but at the moment the supply of cooling water is sufficient. The IAEA inspectors stayed in place for the time being. According to the official Russian news agency TASS, a written agreement for a security zone around the nuclear power plant, as the IAEA chief had been striving for in recent months, is currently not realistic.
With its six reactor units and 5.6 gigawatts of total installed capacity, the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant is the largest in Europe. It has been in the hands of the occupying forces since the start of the Russian war of aggression in February 2023. On June 6, the Kakhovka dam, also occupied by Russian troops, broke, apparently as a result of an explosion. Although the nuclear power plant is 150 kilometers upstream from the dam, it is affected due to falling water levels. Although the reactors have been shut down for months, the fuel elements must be constantly cooled or there is a risk of meltdown.
Even before the dam burst, the IAEA had expressed its concern because the hostilities in the region in southern Ukraine had intensified. According to media reports, Russia has deployed troops and heavy military equipment on the site of the nuclear power plant. Grossi has repeatedly warned that bombs or projectiles could damage the reactors. The constantly interrupted power supply also poses a danger.
The IAEA has managed to ensure that the staff of the UN organization monitoring the situation can be present on the site of the power plant at all times. In the course of Grossi’s visit, a rotation of the staff should also be made possible. Grossi’s visit, which required passing through Russian checkpoints, was postponed by a day for security reasons.
