IAEA Head Visits Russian-Occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Following Large-Scale Fire
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi today visited the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) temporarily occupied by Russian troops, including the cooling tower where a large-scale fire occurred in August 2024, after which the Russian occupiers did not allow the IAEA to enter the plant.
Rafael Grossi reported this on his X account.
‘I am in the middle of the cooling tower, where we can see what is left of the building due to the fire. This building will not be able to be used in the future, so it will probably be demolished over time,’ Grossi said while inside the cooling tower.
In addition, the IAEA Director General visited the ZNPP cooling pumping station and the fresh fuel storage facility.
‘We will analyse what we have seen today. Until the conflict ends or moves into a phase where there is no more military activity, I think we should not rule out the possibility of a serious threat,’ the IAEA director general said.
This is the fifth time that the IAEA Director General has visited the temporarily occupied ZNPP since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
As a reminder, the largest in Europe, Zaporizhzhia NPP was seized by Russian occupation forces on 4 March 2022 during the battle for Enerhodar. On 12 March 2022, it was reported that the facility was controlled by the Russian company Rosatom. The plant continues to be operated by Ukrainian personnel under Russian control, who were forced to obtain Russian citizenship and sign a contract with Rosatom.
On 21 July 2022, Russian troops moved at least 14 pieces of heavy military equipment, weapons and explosives to the engine room of Unit 1 at the plant, which contravenes international laws on the safety of nuclear power plants.
The Russian occupiers have caused damage to the temporarily seized Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), estimated at €650 million (30 billion hryvnias). The lost profit of Energoatom is more than EUR 3.6 billion (UAH 167 billion).