IAEA experts stationed at the Zaporizhia NPP (ZNPP) site have continued to hear explosions and other indications of military activity not far away from the facility. Three times recently, they reported hearing several successive explosions within a few minutes, as well as one explosion and multiple explosions possibly indicating the use of heavy weapons from an area close to the plant.
The team was informed by the plant that there had been shelling in parkland a few hundred metres away from the city hall administrative building of the town of Enerhodar, where many plant staff live. On arrival at the location, later the same day, the IAEA experts were informed that debris from the alleged munitions used had already been removed. While the team observed some damaged trees and marks on the ground, it was not possible to conclude whether or not shelling had actually occurred.
Further underlining the fragile nuclear safety and security situation at the ZNPP, the plant remains without back-up external power after the only remaining 330 kilovolt (kV) line was disconnected on 20 February. As a result, the ZNPP remains dependent on its only functioning 750 kV power line, out of four such lines available before the conflict. The IAEA team was informed that the 330 kV line is not expected to be reconnected for at least another week.
The ZNPP informed the IAEA team that it has commenced maintenance activities on reactor unit 1, except for those planned to be performed on safety systems and electrical equipment, which have been postponed until the 330 kV line is reconnected.
The IAEA experts also continue to collect information on the authorisations of operating staff in the ZNPP’s main control rooms. The regional head of ZNPP Nuclear and Radiation Safety Inspections of Rostekhnazdor, the Russian regulatory body, late last month informed the IAEA team during a visit that a total of 143 applications for authorisations of operating personnel had been received, of which 91 had so far been issued. ZNPP says it has sufficient staff for the current shutdown status of the plant’s six reactors.
“The staffing situation at the plant remains a vital issue for nuclear safety and security that we will continue to monitor closely,” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
During their latest walkdowns at the site, the IAEA team visited the temporary emergency response centre and were informed that the emergency preparedness and response arrangements at the ZNPP continue under a temporary emergency plan, while a new plan is expected to be completed this year. The team was also informed that a major exercise is being planned for late 2024.
In addition, the IAEA experts visited the ZNPP’s electrical and mechanical warehouses to assess the availability of spare parts essential for maintenance, observing some spare parts in each warehouse. The plant informed the team that the site has spare parts for upcoming maintenance and for the reactors in their current shutdown states, adding that the spare parts are provided from the Russian Federation.
During other walkdowns this week the team observed the current management of solid radioactive waste at the ZNPP, and also went to the turbine halls of reactor units 3 and 5. Once again, access was restricted. The IAEA experts were not able to access the western part of the halls nor the plant equipment on the ground floor of the turbine building of unit 5. The IAEA expert team expects to gain access to these areas soon.
