Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine. IAEA experts inspected the cooling towers of the Zaporizhzhya NPP Peace and Security
Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine inspected the cooling towers of the Zaporizhzhya NPP to see the aftermath of a recent fire.
Recall that on Sunday evening, the IAEA, whose observers are present on the territory of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, said that experts saw thick smoke rising above the northwestern part of the plant, before which they heard “several explosions during the evening.”
In response to a request for an immediate assessment of the fire’s impact, the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission in Zaporizhia inspected the cooling towers – towers designed to cool large quantities of water using a directed air flow. Based on observations, the team concluded that it was unlikely that the fire had started at the base of one of the towers, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Tuesday.
During the team’s visit to the cooling tower, it was determined that the damage was most likely concentrated inside the tower, at a height of approximately ten metres. The experts therefore requested access to this area. The team was also able to look into the cold water pool located at the base of the cooling tower and requested access to it. The experts were not given access to the two locations during today’s tour due to safety concerns.
No debris or remnants of the drone were found during the inspection. In addition, the team did not find any debris, ash or soot at the base of the cooling tower.
The experts said the plant’s nuclear safety was not compromised: the cooling towers are currently not in operation as the reactors are in cold shutdown. The IAEA team conducted radiation monitoring in the area of the cooling towers and reactors and found no signs of elevated radiation levels.