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IAEA chief warns of ongoing danger at Zaporozhye NPP amid continued fighting

The Zaporozhye NPP, located in Energodar, has six power units with a total capacity of 6 GW

ROME, November 7. /TASS/. The Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) remains at risk due to ongoing fighting and continuous drone attacks, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said in an interview with La Stampa newspaper.

"The Zaporozhye NPP area remains a conflict zone. Many believe that the situation there has stabilized, but unfortunately, it has not. Fighting continues in the area, and drones are still flying, so the highest level of danger alert remains," Grossi said. The IAEA chief is convinced that cooperation for the safety of the Zaporozhye NPP and other NPPs must continue. "I have to maintain dialogue with both the Russians and the Ukrainians," he added.

The Zaporozhye NPP, located in Energodar, has six power units with a total capacity of 6 GW. It is Europe’s largest nuclear power generating facility. At the end of February 2022, the facility was taken over by Russian forces. Since then, Ukrainian army units have periodically shelled both residential areas in Energodar and the plant itself using drones, heavy artillery, and multiple rocket launchers. All six units of the plant are in cold shutdown and are not generating electricity. The plant has the necessary personnel to ensure safe operation, with equipment maintained in accordance with all required regulations under strict control of radiation and nuclear safety standards and under the supervision of IAEA experts.

In early September 2022, a Grossi-led IAEA team visited the Zaporozhye NPP. Afterwards, several agency staff members remained at the station as observers. The mission serves on a rotational basis, and its task is to observe and assess the operational and physical safety of the Zaporozhye NPP.

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