A new team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has arrived at the Zaporizhia NPP (ZNPP), crossing the frontline to reach the site as part of the IAEA’s mission to help prevent a nuclear accident during the armed conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said. This is the 19th team of IAEA experts stationed at the site since Grossi established a permanent presence there more than 20 months ago.
According to the ZNPP press service, the safe conduct of the new rotation of four experts was ensured by Russian troops together with Rosgvardiya units. The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed this. According to the Ministry, a ceasefire was declared and observed along the entire route of movement of observers from the destroyed bridge near the village of Kamenskoye in Zaporozhye region, from 6:00 to 18:00. The Ministry also said that while conducting a road inspection in the area, the Russian military found unexploded ordnance left as a result of new “systematic attacks from the Ukrainian side”. After conducting engineering reconnaissance, the Russian military destroyed the ammunition with an overhead charge, securing the passage of mission observers and their delivery to the station.
“The IAEA will remain present at the ZNPP for as long as it is needed. The nuclear safety and security situation at the plant remains extremely precarious and challenging. Thanks to our experts at the site, we can inform the world about developments there. We will continue to do everything in our power to keep this major nuclear facility safe and secure,” Grossi said.
Over the past week, the IAEA experts have continued to hear indications of military activity in the areas around the ZNPP. These included outgoing artillery and rocket fire at some distance away as well as small arms fire closer to the site. Late last week, an air raid alarm restricted movement outside the ZNPP’s buildings for 24 hours, but no explosions were heard during this time.
Having robust emergency preparedness and response arrangements in place is crucial at nuclear power plants (NPPs). The IAEA experts recently observed an emergency drill at the ZNPP, based on a hypothetical scenario of damage to a pipe connected to one of the sprinkler ponds providing water to cool reactor unit 1 and its safety systems. Under the exercise scenario, plant staff pumped water into the sprinkler pond and repaired the damaged pipe, while also ensuring that the safety systems and diesel generators remained operational. The IAEA team’s opinion was that the exercise was well organised and that the personnel responded effectively.
“It is essential for all nuclear facilities to have effective emergency preparedness and response arrangements. For this purpose, regular drills and exercises are necessary. Clearly, for ZNPP, they are especially important in view of the extraordinary risks it is currently facing,” Grossi noted.
The IAEA experts have also continued to perform regular walkdowns across the site, including to all six main control rooms, to observe the activities of staff with roles and responsibilities that are vital for nuclear safety and security at the plant. However, the experts were still not permitted to talk to the main control room personnel, reducing their ability to fully assess staff experience and expertise.
The IAEA team this week also went to reactor unit 2 and its safety systems rooms where they observed the steam generators, pressuriser, and the successful start-up of a used fuel pool pump as part of a scheduled switch from another pump. The team noted that no leaks of boron were observed and that the general situation in the areas was satisfactory, except for an oil leak coming from the crane.
In addition, the IAEA experts carried out walkdowns within the site perimeter and other buildings, which they are permitted to access to monitor adherence to the five concrete principles for the protection of the plant during the conflict. They did not observe any heavy weapons or indications that drones could have been launched from the ZNPP. However, the IAEA experts are still not permitted to access all areas of the plant.
In a recent interview with RIA Novosti, Grossi said cooperation between the IAEA and Russia on ZNPP is at a professional level. “This is a professional cooperation, very professional, and at different levels. I am in constant contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rosatom, Rosatom CEO Mr Likhachev, the Russian nuclear regulator, so we are constantly in contact and exchange views on technical aspects related to nuclear power plants.”
Grossi said that at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in early March, the state of ZNPP and “various prospects” were discussed. He denied a report in The New York Times, which had said his goal was to warn against a restart of the station. “No, I would never warn the President of the Russian Federation about something. We discussed the state of the station and various prospects for different scenarios. But there was no warning or advice from me in this regard. He has his own vision as the head of state, and I, as an IAEA technical specialist, have my own vision for various scenarios in reality… No more, no less.”
Grossi said that, during the talks, the possibility of continuing the plant’s operation was discussed in general terms “what are the various possibilities of whether the nuclear power plant can continue to operate in the same mode or not.”, but “a specific scenario” was not considered.
Grossi also denied comment in the NYT that Putin during the meeting announced the readiness of the Russian Federation to negotiate a settlement of the conflict with Ukraine. “No, we only discussed technical issues. And, of course, he explained to me his vision of the situation as a whole, but my mandate does not include discussing any political settlement. No, this is not part of my mandate at all,” Grossi said.
Asked by RIA whether the IAEA would identify those responsible for attacks against ZNPP, he noted that it is extremely difficult to determine the source of attacks on a nuclear power plant, since they are carried out using drones that can be launched from any side. “If I am ever provided with sufficient information, I will certainly not hide it from the general public. Not at all, ” he said, adding that if IAEA inspectors confirm the origin of the attacks, it will be the agency’s responsibility to make this information public.
