‘Very concerned’: UN nuclear chief about Zaporizhzhia plant amid Ukraine’s counteroffensive

The United Nations nuclear energy chief, on Tuesday (June 13), visited the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky before going to Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant days afterthe massive Kakhovkadam on the Dnipro River was breached.

‘Very concerned’ about nuclear power plant amid Ukraine’s counteroffensive: Grossi

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi also said that he is “very concerned” that the nuclear plant could be caught in Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive which aims to retake Russian-occupied territory.This comes as Kyiv has recently claimed gains in the early stages of its counteroffensive, earlier on Tuesday.

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The IAEA chief also said there were no signs of Russian troops moving heavy military equipment to theZaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP)but can only be confirmed after his visit and said, “There shouldn’t be any military equipment or artillery or amounts of ammunition, an amount that could compromise the security of the plant.”

He added, “We do not have any indication at this point, but it could not be excluded.” Grossi, addressing the press in Kyiv,said he discussed the dangers facing the ZNPP with Zelensky.

Grossi also said that the largest nuclear power plant in Europe is witnessing a “relatively dangerous situation” after the collapse of the Soviet-era Nova Kakhovka dam on the Dnipro River in the Russia-occupied part of southern Ukraine.

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Why is Grossi in Kyiv, travelling to nuclear power plant?

The IAEA chief'strip to Ukraine comes after the UN agency, on Sunday, said that it needed to access the site near the plant to check the water levels after the dam’s reservoir which also provided water essential for cooling the six reactors at the ZNPP collapsed.

The nuclear power plant which has repeatedly been caught in the crossfire between Russia and Ukraine once again sparked concerns after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam. Meanwhile, both Kyiv and Moscow have blamed each for attacking the dam which led to dozens of deaths and prompted evacuationof thousands of people in southern Ukraine amid floods.

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The water in the cooling pond is used to keep the ZNPP’s six reactors from potentially disastrous overheating from the reservoir which is now destroyed. However, Ukraine’s nuclear energy company, Energoatom, on Tuesday said that the level of the pond was stable and that the water was enough.

‘Serious situation’ at ZNPP: IAEA chief

Speaking to journalists in Kyiv, Grossi said there was no immediate danger but that it was a “serious situation” due to the limited amount of water left. According to the Ukrainian energy company, as of Tuesday morning, the water level was at 16.67 metres which it said is “quite enough to meet the needs of the station”.

Grossi has also called the move a “step in the wrong direction.” He added, “If there was a break in the gates that contain this water or anything like this, you would really lose all your cooling capacity.”

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Similarly, Ukrainian nuclear authorities have also said that the reservoir which was normally used to refill the pond cannot anymore because of its falling water level. However, the pond, which is separated from the reservoir, can be replenished using deep underground wells, the Ukrainian authorities added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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