Update 241 - IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

 The occurrence of intense fires near Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) continues to add to the growing challenges facing Europe's largest nuclear power plant (NPP), IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.

On several occasions over the past week, the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhya (ISAMZ) observed several fires at various distances from the ZNPP and nearby villages. Over the weekend, the IAEA experts observed smoke coming from an area to the north of the ZNPP near the Zaporizhzhya Thermal Power Plant (ZTPP) inlet channel. The plant confirmed that the fire was underneath the overhead cables of the Dniprovska 750 kilovolt (kV) line and the Ferosplavna 1 330 kV back-up power line – the last two remaining external power lines for the ZNPP.

As the summer heat continues, such fires along the pathways of the two remaining lines place the ZNPP at risk of loss of external power. While there was no disconnection of either line on this occasion, the situation highlighted the fragility of off-site power at the ZNPP.

"The off-site power supply to the ZNPP remains vulnerable, and any threat to the operability of the last two power lines is extremely concerning," said Director General Grossi. "Despite all reactors remaining in a cold shutdown state, the reliability of off-site power is still a major risk to nuclear safety and security at the ZNPP and action must be taken to protect these remaining lines."

This most recent event follows fires that occurred over the past few months. In early July the IAEA experts observed thick smoke and heard explosions coming from near the plant’s 750 kilovolt (kV) switchyard which had allegedly been caused by drones hitting an adjacent forest, starting fires in windy conditions. Previously in late May, the IAEA team also reported a wildfire south of the same switchyard. During a walkdown to the 750 kV switchyard last week, the IAEA experts observed burned bushes and trees in the area outside the switchyard’s perimeter and reported that there was no other impact from these fires.

This week, a new rotation of experts crossed the frontline to replace colleagues who have been stationed there for the past several weeks. This marks the 22nd IAEA team at the site since Director General Grossi established the mission on 1 September 2022. The IAEA teams continue to hear explosions at various distances from the site.

On Sunday, staff at the ZTPP were allegedly unable to go outside to start the pump that transfers water from the ZTPP inlet channel to the ZTPP discharge channel for some time due to the risk of shelling. The transfer is important as it then provides a supply of water to the sprinkler ponds and other areas. ISAMZ was informed that the pump was later turned back on and there was no impact to nuclear safety at the ZNPP.

Read more:

https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/update-241-iaea-director-general-statement-on-situation-in-ukraine