Six of seven nuclear safety pillars violated at occupied Zaporizhzhia plant, says IAEA chief
Rafael Grossi, Head of IAEA (photo: Getty Images)
As a result of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the seizure of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, almost all pillars of nuclear safety at the plant have been violated, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said during his address to the Agency's Board of Governors.
The head of the IAEA stated that six out of seven pillars of nuclear safety have been violated at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. This refers to the seven key components of nuclear and physical protection defined by the IAEA at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.
These include:
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Physical integrity;
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Proper functioning of equipment;
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Absence of pressure on staff;
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Reliable power supply;
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Continuous logistics;
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Radiation monitoring;
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Functioning of communication channels.
According to him, the plant is supplied by only one external power transmission line, which creates serious risks. All six reactors are in a state of cold shutdown, and none of them can be safely restarted.
The water level in the cooling pond has decreased to 13.4 meters, close to the critical threshold of 12 meters, below which the cooling systems fail.
The IAEA emphasizes the need to build a pumping station to ensure the stable operation of the cooling systems. Prolonged hostilities near the plant are causing serious concern and increasing risks.
Putin's idea about Zaporizhzhia NPP
Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared his alleged readiness to cooperate with Ukraine and the United States on the issue of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
The Kremlin leader did not specify what exactly his idea was.
The Ministry of Energy emphasized that they consider such a statement as an attempt by the Kremlin to use the plant as a tool for further war.
