The dangers surrounding Ukrainian nuclear power plants are increasing due to their proximity to fighting and power outages, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi feared on Wednesday.
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“There are many dangers that are multiplying and that will remain until the end of the conflict,” Mr. Grossi told the press on the sidelines of a visit to the planned radioactive waste dumping site in Bure (Meuse). ), in eastern France.
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has been in Russian hands since the country was invaded in early 2022.
“Military operations have increased, and in our permanent expert mission that we have in Zaporizhzhia and also in other Ukrainian power plants, we are seeing an increase in attacks around the power plants,” noted Mr. Grossi. “It keeps us very busy.”
The IAEA chief also mentioned power outages “which pose a risk to the cooling function” of the reactors.
In this context, the IAEA is trying to “act as a deterrent to everyone to prevent the misery of this war from being added to an accident with radiological consequences,” he explained.
When Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest power plant, fell into the hands of the Russian army on March 4, 2022, it was set on fire several times and cut off from the power grid several times, a precarious situation that raises fears of a serious nuclear accident.
Mutual accusations
Both camps accuse each other of wanting to cause a catastrophe there. In early November, Russia claimed to have intercepted nine Ukrainian drones flying near the power plant.
Moscow had previously accused Ukraine of using drones to attack a nuclear power plant in the Russian border region of Kursk, hitting an administration building and a nuclear waste storage facility.
However, the plant operator said the attack did not cause an increase in radioactivity.
At the beginning of July, Kiev, in turn, accused Moscow of having prepared a “provocation” in Zaporizhzhia. The army had claimed that “explosive-like objects” had been placed on the roofs of reactors 3 and 4.
The IAEA then assured that it had observed “no mines or explosives” on the roofs of these buildings.
Mr. Grossi made his third visit to the Ukrainian center in Zaporizhia last June since the Russian invasion.
On this occasion he had to assess the risk of building a dam whose retained water would be used to cool the reactors.
He assessed the situation as “serious”, but at the same time expressed reassurance that “measures are being taken to stabilize the situation”.
The IAEA always has a team of experts on site.
As for electricity supplies, Ukrainian nuclear operator Energoatom assured in August that power plants in Kiev-controlled areas would reach full capacity before winter.
In addition to Zaporizhia, which is controlled by Russia, Ukraine currently has three power plants – a total of nine reactors.