The station operated for almost three weeks using backup diesel generators after a power line was damaged as a result of the fighting. A temporary local ceasefire was brokered by the IAEA to allow for repair work.
“Both sides engaged constructively with the IAEA, which made a local ceasefire possible and showed that even in extremely difficult conditions, practical steps can be taken to improve nuclear safety,” Grossi said at a meeting of the agency’s Board of Governors earlier this year. week.
Stabilization in conditions of general instability
However, according to the head of the IAEA, the situation at the Zaporizhia NPP remains unstable. In recent months, the station has repeatedly lost external power supply, and diesel fuel reserves have noticeably decreased. Replenishment of reserves is difficult due to ongoing hostilities in the area of the plant.
The IAEA emphasizes that a reliable power supply is critical to the safe operation of the facility. Before the conflict, the station was connected to several power lines, but now it actually depends on a single external source of energy.
International inspectors continue to record military activity in the area of the station and the town of Energodar. Shellings have been reported this week, resulting in deaths and injuries. IAEA observers heard explosions, drones, and shooting near the facility.
Similar threats were noted near other Ukrainian nuclear facilities. In recent days, drones have been spotted near a number of nuclear power plants and air raid signals have sounded.
IAEA Assistance to Ukraine
The IAEA continues to provide assistance to Ukraine in the field of nuclear safety. Since the beginning of the agency’s program, the country has received more than 250 shipments of equipment and materials with a total value of over 27 million euros. At the same time, according to IAEA estimates, about 17 million euros are required to cover priority needs. International support remains critical to preventing a nuclear accident in an ongoing conflict, Grossi said.