The IAEA Chairman welcomed the move because cooling the reactor provides an additional buffer in case of an accident.
> Rafael Grossi
All six reactor blocks The Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is now in a cold shutdown state for the first time since the end of 2022 after the fourth unit entered this state this morning, said Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
< “I welcome this move, which has been recommended by the Agency for some time, as it improves the overall safety of the site. The Agency will continue to closely monitor the status of the Zaporozhye NPP and will provide technically viable alternatives in the context of rapid change and challenges,” the General said. Director Grossi.
He noted that cooling the reactor provides an additional buffer in case of an accident. But this does not solve the fundamental problem of the recent sharp deterioration of the situation at the station. Grossi noted that, without a doubt, nuclear safety at this large nuclear facility remains very unstable.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the Russian occupiers intend to try to restart the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant this year in order to return to operation of at least one power unit that will create a threat to nuclear safety, but does not have qualified personnel for this.
