VIENNA, September 9. /TASS/. Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi doesn’t rule out a complete shutdown of the only operating reactor of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.
"The power infrastructure feeding the city of Enerhodar, home to the NPP’s operators and their families, has been destroyed by shelling of the switchyard at the city’s thermal power plant, leading to a complete power black-out in Enerhodar: no running water, no power, no sewage," he said in a statement posted on the IAEA website on Friday. "Given the increased and continued shelling, there is little likelihood of re-establishing reliable offsite power to the ZNPP, especially as the shelling continually and repeatedly damages the power infrastructure."
"As a result, the IAEA understands that the operator, having no longer confidence in the restoration of offsite power, is considering shutting down the only remaining operating reactor," he said, adding that the entire facility "would then be fully reliant on emergency diesel generators for ensuring vital nuclear safety and security functions." In such an event, in his words, the operator would be unable to re-start the reactors without reliable reestablishment of offsite power supplies.
Grossi called for stopping attacks on the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. "Only this will ensure the safety and security of operating staff and allow the durable restoration of power to Enerhodar and to the power plant," he stressed. "This dramatic development demonstrates the absolute imperative to establish a nuclear safety and security protection zone now. This is the only way to ensure that we do not face a nuclear accident."
The IAEA on Tuesday issued a report on the results of its inspection of Ukrainian nuclear facilities, including the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. In particular, the IAEA called for the immediate establishment of a safety zone around the Zaporozhye plant to prevent a possible "nuclear incident" triggered hostilities. Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya stressed that demilitarization would not be able ensure the plant’s security but will put at risks of Ukraine’s provocations instead. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said that Russia was studying the IAEA report but needs more time to respond to the agency’s proposals.
Ukrainian troops have been regularly shelling the Zaporozhye NPP in recent time. Apart from that they attempted to seize the facility ahead of the IAEA visit on September 1.