Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant in Peril as IAEA Finds Six Safety Pillars Compromised by Russia

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has undermined nuclear safety at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP), statement came during his speech before the Agency’s Governing Board on September 8.

Six of the seven IAEA-defined safety pillars—physical integrity, equipment functionality, staff pressure, reliable power supply, continuous logistics, radiation monitoring, and operational communication channels—are currently compromised, according to Grossi.

The plant relies on only one external power line. All six reactors are in cold shutdown, and none can be safely restarted.

The water level in the cooling pond has dropped to 13.4 meters, approaching the critical 12-meter threshold, below which cooling systems fail.

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War in Ukraine

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Grossi stressed the urgent need for a dedicated pumping station to maintain cooling, warning that ongoing military operations nearby significantly increase risks.

Previously, Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy had warned that the ZNPP is operating under unprecedented and dangerously unstable conditions, following remarks by Russian leader Vladimir Putin about the occupied facility.

Earlier, 48 IAEA member states emphasized in a joint statement that any attempts to restart the reactors at the ZNPP are only possible after the facility is returned to Ukraine’s control.

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