IAEA Reports Further Explosions Near Russian-Occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant, Europe's Largest

Experts of the IAEA - the International Atomic Energy Agency - working at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest in Europe, temporarily occupied by the Russian army, reported hearing explosions at different distances from the plant.

This is stated in the IAEA press release of 18 October.

‘IAEA experts working at ZNPP report daily military activity in the vicinity, with explosions occurring close to the facility... No damage to the plant has been reported over the past week,’ the report says.

Representatives of the occupiers of the nuclear facility also informed international observers of plans to increase the plant's staff:

‘The team received information about the staffing of ZNPP. Out of almost 5,000 ZNPP employees, 130 work in the training centre, including 70 instructors. The goal is to increase the staff to 6,000 people,’ the IAEA said.

The IAEA experts continued their weekly inspection of the plant, in particular:

confirmed that the circulation pump used to maintain the flow of cooling water between the ZNPP outlet and intake channels is still in operation at the Unit 4 pumping station;

reported during a visit to the cooling tower damaged by the fire on 11 August that no repairs were being carried out;

noted that two of the six mobile diesel generators had been moved to other locations, one of which was used at the substation in Enerhodar damaged on 21 September;

conducted radiation monitoring measurements at the plant and in the neighbouring city of Enerhodar, confirming that radiation levels were normal.