Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stationed at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) are reporting daily military activity in the vicinity, with some explosions occurring close to the facility. This ongoing situation underscores the persistent threat faced by the nuclear power plant, which remains at the heart of an active war zone, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated today.

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No damage has been reported to the plant within the past week, and the IAEA team at the site has focussed its efforts on assessing the condition of the plant, as well as ongoing maintenance and training activities.

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The IAEA team conducted regular walkdowns across the ZNPP. At the pumping station of unit 4, the team confirmed that the circulation pump used to maintain the flow of cooling water between the ZNPP discharge and intake channels is still operational. Its operation is dependent on the overall water level in the ZNPP cooling pond, which has been steadily decreasing since the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in June 2023.

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In assessing maintenance at the plant, the IAEA team noted during a visit this week to cooling tower 1 damaged by fire in August 2024 that no maintenance activities were ongoing. The ZNPP informed the IAEA that it plans to use the support of external contractors to determine the extent of the damage.

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The team was informed that two of the six mobile diesel generators, introduced following the Fukushima stress tests, that are available on site, were moved to other locations. One was now being used at the recently damaged Zaria substation and one at the pumping water supply station in the city of Enerhodar.

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This week, the team was updated on ZNPP staffing numbers. Of the nearly 5000 ZNPP employees, 130 work at the training center, including 70 instructors. The goal is to expand the personnel to 6000.

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The team performed radiation monitoring measurements on site and in the nearby city of Enerhodar, confirming that radiation levels were normal.

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Separately, the IAEA teams at Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine nuclear power plants (NPPs) and the Chornobyl site experienced air raid alarms for several days over the past week but reported that nuclear safety and security is being maintained. The IAEA team at Khmelnytskyy sheltered twice over the past week.

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The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) informed the IAEA that on 10 October three UAV flights were recorded within the monitoring zone of the South Ukraine NPP, and five in the evening of 14 October.

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At the Rivne NPP, one of the two 750 kilovolt (kV) off-site power lines was put under maintenance and again reconnected within the past week. Additionally, it was reported to the team that one of the five 110 kV off-site power lines was disconnected and under planned maintenance.

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The three teams at the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs have successfully rotated over the past few days.

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Also this week, antigen combo rapid test kits were delivered to the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs and the Chornobyl site, as well as to Energoatom and SNRIU, in the 6th delivery under the IAEA medical assistance programme and the 70th under the Agency’s comprehensive programme of assistance to help Ukraine maintain nuclear safety and security. The delivery was supported by a contribution from Japan.

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Text Courtesy, IAEA