The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) sent a new team of four experts to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine to replace the four who had been there for the previous four weeks, according to Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, a report on ReliefWeb states.
Since the Director General visited Europe’s largest nuclear plant on September 1 to establish the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhya (ISAMZ) as an attempt to avoid a nuclear accident during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, there have been two rotations of IAEA nuclear safety, security, and safeguards experts. This is the third IAEA team to come to the ZNPP in the past two months.
Director General Grossi stated that they were able to effectively complete a staff rotation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant because of the assistance of all parties involved. Because of their presence, the entire world is aware of what is going on at this significant nuclear power facility in the middle of a conflict zone.
Additionally, he expressed his sincere gratitude to all of the professionals who arrived at the site and left because of their courage and tenacity in carrying out crucial safety, security, and safeguarding tasks at the facility.
The ZNPP’s main external 750 kV power line was disconnected as a result of shelling at around 10 p.m. local time yesterday, according to the Director General, and a 330 kV line that provided backup electricity was also lost shortly after midnight. Ongoing repairs are being made to the 330 kV line. The ZNPP’s diesel emergency generators are now providing electricity for vital nuclear safety and security operations.
One of the three 750 kV lines used by the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine to supply power to the grid also failed, causing the site to cut one of its three operational reactors’ power by 50%, as reported by Ukraine to the IAEA.
