IAEA Director General presents plan for protection of Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

At a meeting of the UN Security Council on Tuesday 30 May, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), presented an updated plan for ensuring the safety of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). 

Source: This was reported by European Pravda

The IAEA Director General announced that the plan is a set of principles that he agreed on during numerous meetings with the leadership of Ukraine and Russia following his visit to the ZNPP in September 2022.

Quote: "As a result of these intensive consultations, I have identified the following concrete principles to help ensure nuclear safety and security at ZNPP in order to prevent a nuclear accident and ensure the integrity of the plant. I see these commitments as essential to avoid the danger of a catastrophic incident," Grossi emphasised.

The plan he announced consists of five principles:

• There should be no attack of any kind from or against the plant, in particular targeting the reactors, spent fuel storage, other critical infrastructure, or personnel.
• ZNPP should not be used as storage or a base for heavy weapons (i.e. multiple rocket launchers, artillery systems and munitions, and tanks) or military personnel that could be used for an attack from the plant.
• Off-site power to the plant should not be put at risk.
• All structures, systems and components essential to the safe and secure operation of ZNPP should be protected from attacks or acts of sabotage.
• No action should be taken that undermines these principles.

The IAEA experts onsite will report to the IAEA Director General on the observance of these principles, and he will publicly report any violation of these principles.

"I solemnly ask both sides [Ukraine and Russia - ed.] to observe these principles," Grossi said.

The plan is less ambitious than Grossi's initial efforts to create a fully-fledged protective zone around the plant, but nuclear energy experts believe it could still improve the volatile situation.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is occupied by Russian troops, and because of constant Russian shelling, for which Moscow has blamed Ukraine, it has been repeatedly disconnected from the Ukrainian energy network. Physically, the ZNPP is maintained by Ukrainian personnel under occupation, but it is managed by Russia’s Rosatom.

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