Head Of IAEA Says Priority Cooling Water At PLTN Zaporizhia After The Broken Kakhovka Dam

JAKARTA - The head of the UN atomic energy agency said on Thursday ensuring water for cooling was its priority visit to Russia-controlled Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, adding the station could operate safely for "some time".

Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi is visiting the largest PLTN in Europe, to conduct an inspection after the breakdown of the Kakhovka Dam downstream of the Dnipro River.

"What's important for the safety of this plant is that the water you see behind me remains at that level," Grossi said in two tweets released from near the plant, including next to the pool that supplies water for cooling.

"With the water that is here, the generator can remain safe for some time. The PLTN will work to refill the water so that the safety function can run normally."

Grossi said the visit, the third to a factory in southern Ukraine since Russian troops occupied it in the first days of the February 2022 invasion, had gathered "an important amount of information for the assessment".

Reservoir Kakhovka is usually used to refill the cooling pool adjacent to PLTN. However, now it cannot be done because the water level decreases after the leak, officials said.

In contrast, ponds separated from reservoirs can be refilled using deep underground wells, they said.

Today, I visited the #Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant to assess the situation after the catastrophic Nova Kakhovka dam flooding. pic.twitter.com/TSO5ml0cJa

— Rafael MarianoGrossi (@rafaelmgrossi) June 15, 2023

Today, I visited the #Zaporizhya nuclear power plant to assess the situation after the catastrophic Nova Kakhovka and floating. pic.twitter.com/TSO5ml0cJa

Grossi was previously quoted by Russian news agencies as saying the situation at the location was "serious" but the level of cooling water was sufficient. He also said IAEA inspectors would remain on site.

"We have a political agreement formulated in the Security Council (United Nations). Achieving a written agreement will not be realistic at this stage because, as we know, there are no peace negotiations or ceasefires between these parties," Grossi was quoted as saying by TASS.

Russian troops seized the nuclear plant and the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam shortly after President Vladimir Putin sent them to Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Grossi has repeatedly called for an end to fighting around facilities to avoid catastrophic accidents.

Earlier that day, Grossi said it was unrealistic to expect Moscow and Kyiv to sign documents on site security, while fighting was raging nearby.

An IAEA spokesman said gunfire had stopped Grossi's convoy while returning to Ukrainian territory after the visit, but the convoy was not in direct danger.

It is known that six reactors are now dead. Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of firing near the plant, which jeopardizes the security of its operations.

A Russian energy industry official was previously quoted by the TASS news agency, accusing Ukraine of firing fire at the convoy.