The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said its team based at the Zaporizhia NPP (ZNPP) have been informed of a newly constructed dam to isolate one of ZNPP’s channels from its cooling pond. This channel currently supplies water for the cooling of several plant systems, such as unit transformers that provide power to the site’s six reactor units, which is needed for the operation of their safety systems.
The ZNPP’s six reactors have been in cold shutdown since spring 2024 but still require cooling water for their safety systems, reactor cores and used fuel pools. While the ZNPP continues to use water from the groundwater wells on site for the cooling of these essential services, the dam was constructed to preserve the water in the channel to provide cooling for other plant systems that are needed to maintain the ZNPP in safe shutdown for extended periods of time.
The IAEA team has also been informed that the site is pumping water from the cooling pond into the isolated part of this channel and that the current water level in the channel is more than a metre above the point where cooling pumps would cease to operate. The ZNPP is also considering other options for supplying power to its reactor units to maintain the operation of its safety systems, as well as other measures for the cooling of the unit transformers.
“This underscores the ongoing challenges in ensuring reliable cooling water for the ZNPP’s six reactors and their safety systems needed to maintain long-term cold shutdown. The potential loss of cooling resulting from the depletion of the water in this ZNPP channel represents a real concern with respect to nuclear safety, which is a priority for the IAEA,” Director General Grossi said. “The IAEA teams will continue to request access to the new isolation dam and will monitor this situation extremely closely,” he added.
Meanwhile, another rotation of IAEA observers at ZNPP was successfully completed, the plant’s press service said on its Telegram channel. According to the report, the rotation was secured by the Russian Ministry of Defence, the National Guard, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in the Zaporozhye Region.
“The Zaporizhia NPP has successfully completed another scheduled change of inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Three new specialists, who joined the 30th mission, have begun to work on monitoring and assessing the state of operational safety of the plant”, the statement said.
