Occupants threaten nuclear safety: New challenges for Zaporizhzhya NPP

The occupiers in Russia have once again raised the level of threat to nuclear safety by replacing mines on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and making it difficult for experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to access certain facilities. This new threat has arisen despite the demining of the plant in November last year.

The IAEA reported that the explosive devices were located between the inner and outer fence of the plant, which resulted in limited access for the plant's personnel. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi noted that this situation contradicts IAEA safety standards.

This week, ZNPP faced another incident - the loss of backup power supply for reactor units for several hours. This case reflects the ongoing risks to the nuclear safety of the plant. To restore power supply, two other backup power electrical transformers were put into operation.

The IAEA experts also reported on the unexamined maintenance plan for 2024, which is key to ensuring nuclear and physical safety. Grossi emphasized that ZNPP is likely not implementing the maintenance plan during 2024, although the plan itself was not presented to the IAEA team for detailed review.

According to Mr. Grossi, a well-designed and timely maintenance plan is crucial for the safety of the plant. The IAEA team continues to conduct site visits to monitor the situation, although access to some facilities remains limited due to the actions of the occupiers.