MOSCOW: Ensuring the safety of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) amid ongoing Ukrainian shelling, the work of the International At...
MOSCOW: Ensuring the safety of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) amid ongoing Ukrainian shelling, the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission at the plant, and Iran’s nuclear program were the central topics at the talks between Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev and IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in Kaliningrad.
The meeting was described by both sides as a "useful and open discussion," with an agreement to maintain continued dialogue.
TASS has compiled Likhachev’s key statements.
ZNPP operation
The situation regarding nuclear and radiation safety at the ZNPP remains "totally manageable and stable," but the military threat is worsening. Ukraine has intensified its shelling of civilian infrastructure and provocations. "Unfortunately, this has affected the situation at the Zaporozhye NPP and the city of Energodar. The power system has sustained damage literally every night over the last four days."
Amid the Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s contacts with world leaders and US counterpart Donald Trump, "apparently, this flow of provocations and direct attacks on civilian infrastructure by the Kiev regime will increase."
Technical issues on ZNPP restart
To resume operations at the Zaporozhye NPP, several technical challenges must be addressed. "The first one is, of course, water supply."
Currently, safety is ensured by 11 additional wells. "We have already started construction of a floating modular pumping station with a capacity of up to 80,000 cubic meters per hour, which will address all problems related to water supply in the event that the units are brought to their design capacity."
The plan to restart the ZNPP can only be implemented if military threats are eliminated.
IAEA role
The presence of IAEA specialists at the ZNPP is crucial for keeping the international community informed about the situation. "It is difficult to overestimate this role: the role of resisting provocations and countering fake news, which IAEA personnel are courageously and honorably performing."
Ensuring the safety of IAEA staff during their rotation at the plant remains a top priority for Rosatom.
The IAEA also plays a critical role in assessing the plant’s condition, serving as an "island of adequacy" in a complex international environment. However, relations with the agency are "not perfect," as some of its documents reflect a "dual morality," and the majority of the agency’s board remains "critical only of strikes against Ukraine."
US fuel issue
Likhachev asked Grossi to mediate discussions on the use of US-manufactured nuclear fuel at the ZNPP. He stressed that "any option for resolving the fuel issue is acceptable to the Russian side - from continued use to full unloading and return to the supplier."
Currently, US fuel assemblies are loaded into the reactor cores of four out of six units. Additional US fuel is stored in the fresh fuel storage facility, and a considerable quantity is held in spent fuel pools.
Cooperation with Iran
Rosatom confirmed its readiness to resolve any technical aspects of the so-called Iranian nuclear issue, provided that political decisions are made and multilateral agreements are reached.
Nuclear cooperation between Russia and Iran continues in multiple areas, including the construction of nuclear power units and fuel supply for the first unit of the Bushehr plant. Rosatom is also engaged in joint research and development with Iran in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
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