IAEA Requests Access to ZNPP Reactors and Acknowledges Awareness of Reports on Mines and Explosives
The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, announced today that he has requested additional access to the roofs of reactors 3 and 4 at the Ukrainian ZNPP, as well as access to certain areas of the turbine halls and parts of the cooling system at the plant, in order to confirm the absence of mines or explosives on-site. However, Grossi did not specify from whom he has requested such access.
This information is stated in an IAEA statement on its official website.
'IAEA experts have been present at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and have inspected parts of the facility, including certain areas around the perimeter of the large cooling pond, as well as conducting regular tours of the entire site in recent days and weeks,' the statement reads.
Director General Grossi emphasized the importance of the IAEA team verifying all parts of the ZNPP to monitor its full compliance with the five key principles of protecting Europe's largest nuclear power plant during the ongoing military conflict amid conflicting statements and accusations in recent days regarding the security situation.
'Given the military tension and increased activity in the region where this large nuclear power plant is located, our experts must have the ability to check the facts on the ground. Their independent and objective reports will help clarify the current situation on-site, which is crucial at a time when there are unconfirmed allegations and counter-allegations,' said Director General Grossi.
While in Japan today, Grossi stated that there are currently no visible signs of mines or explosives at the ZNPP, which is occupied by Russian forces in Ukraine.
However, the official statement published on the website states that the IAEA has previously become aware of reports of the placement of mines and other explosive materials on and around the ZNPP.
As previously indicated, the IAEA is aware of reports that mines and other explosives have been placed in and around the ZNPP.
Among the five key principles of protecting the ZNPP, which Director General Grossi approved on May 30 at the United Nations Security Council, it is stated that there should be no attack by or against the nuclear power plant, and it should not be used as a storage facility or base for heavy weaponry, including multiple launch rocket systems, artillery systems, and ammunition, as well as tanks.
Director General Grossi stated that the IAEA team has not reported any recent shelling or explosions, and added that the military presence on-site appears unchanged.
Separately, the IAEA team reported that the only remaining 750-kilovolt (KV) external transmission line, which had been disconnected, was reconnected to the ZNPP yesterday afternoon, approximately 12 hours after it was abruptly disconnected, resulting in the station relying on backup power.
As previously reported, there is a nuclear threat to the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, the Zaporizhzhia NPP, which is occupied by Russian forces in Ukraine, due to intelligence reports of the mining of the nuclear plant by the Russians, as they have already done with the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant.