IAEA Chief meets Russian officials to discuss security of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant

Europe, News April 6, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Chief Rafael Grossi visited Kaliningrad to meet high-level Russian officials and discuss the security of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

After meeting with the relevant Russian officials, Grossi tweeted that “I met high-level officials from several Russian agencies today in Kaliningrad. I continue my efforts to protect the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. My recent visit to ZNPP confirmed the urgent need to achieve this vital objective, which is in everyone’s interest.”

Last week, Grossi visited the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in the Russian-held territory of Ukraine to assess the level of the nuclear threat posed by the front lines of the ongoing war between Russian and Ukrainian forces.

IAEA experts have been working at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to ensure the safety and security of the nuclear site since September 2022 after it was captured by the Russian forces after a series of attacks in March 2022.

After negotiations with the Russian officials, Grossi was successful in having IAEA monitors stationed at the nuclear power plant site, however, he was not able to secure the establishment of demilitarized zones around the power plant, completely preventing the threat of a nuclear disaster.

Grossi as well as several world leaders have repeatedly warned that attacks on and around the plant, for which Ukraine and Russia have blamed each other. The attacks could lead to an accident that may trigger a Chornobyl-like disaster in the area. Kyiv has accused Russia of using the facility as a weapons depot, something Moscow denies.

^{International Atomic Energy Agency Chief Rafael Grossi meeting with Russian officials in in Kaliningrad. (Image Credit: Twitter/@rafaelmgrossi)}

The facility is located near the front lines of the ongoing war between Russian and Ukraine forces and has come under attack several times in the form of shelling and missiles, raising fears of a nuclear disaster. IAEA has been stressing cooperation, understanding, and facilitation from both Ukraine and Russia to ensure the safety of the site.

The preliminary assessment of IAEA experts released in September 2022, suggested that the safety and security situation at the ZNPP seemed stable, however, the shelling had breached several of the seven indispensable nuclear safety and security pillars, in particular:

Pillar 1 (Physical integrity): Any military activity within, or in the vicinity of, a nuclear facility has the potential to cause an Unacceptable Radiological Consequence.
Pillar 2 (All safety and security systems and equipment must always be functional): As a result of the shelling, emergency protection was activated at one of the units, diesel generators were set in operation, and the nitrogen-oxygen station and an auxiliary building were damaged.
Pillar 3 (Operating Staff): This recent activity further increases the stress on the operational team.
Pillar 4 (Power supply): This has been compromised as a result of damage to the external power supply system.
Pillar 6 (Radiation monitoring and Emergency Preparedness and Response arrangements): In the current status of the site, this recent shelling further jeopardizes the already compromised EPR arrangements and capabilities to respond. The radiation monitoring system is still operational.