The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, now occupied by Russia, is not ready to restart production because there is no cooling water and there is no stable power supply, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi has stated.
In a Kyiv interview, Grossi underscored that restarting the plant, which has been idle since September 2022, would involve water from the Dnipro River and thorough technical checks. He added that while Russian authorities have signaled a desire to restart the facility, “we are far from that” being a reality.
In southern Ukraine, the industrial Zaporizhzhia plant, which used to account for 20% of the nation’s electricity, has been unused since shortly after Russia took it over in March 2022. Grossi noted that the 2023 explosion of the Kakhovka dam significantly reduced the level of water in the plant’s cooling pond, making any restart even more complicated.
Continuing shelling in the vicinity has at times destroyed the last two power lines providing the power necessary for cooling even in the shutdown mode of the plant. Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of the attacks.
A recent report by Greenpeace alleged Russia was building a 90-kilometre high-voltage cable to link the plant to its own grid. Grossi brushed this aside, saying there was nothing to indicate an agreed plan for such a link.
Grossi assured that Russian staff operating in the plant are competent, contrary to statements from Ukraine that it would be unsafe to restart it under their control. He also clarified that IAEA monitors continue visiting the site through Russian-held territories because of security reasons and inability to have safe passage via frontlines.
He emphasized that restart would involve thorough inspection owing to possible corrosion and damage to machinery in the plant.
