IAEA Director-General Briefed on Operation of Zaporizhzhia NPP Amid Kovbasi Hydroelectric Plant Shelling Consequences

During a visit to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi was shown a damaged pipe at the facility, which was affected by shelling from the Ukrainian armed forces. This pipe is part of a system necessary for cooling spent nuclear fuel.

“The situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is serious, but the water level is sufficient for cooling,” Grossi stated after inspecting the plant.

Grossi was also briefed on the current water levels in the Kakhovka reservoir and the cooling pond, as well as the presence of barricades on the cooling pond, which are essential for maintaining water circulation at the facility. These structures were constructed as a makeshift response after the shelling of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Plant.