IAEA demands Russians allow them to take part in emergency exercise at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has demanded that the Russians who control the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant allow the Agency's observers to attend emergency exercises to be held at the plant.

Source: IAEA

Details: It is noted that the IAEA has doubts about the qualifications of the personnel present at the station.

Quote: "The IAEA team at the site learned that the ZNPP emergency exercise is planned to be conducted later in November. The last major exercise at ZNPP was conducted in November 2021, prior to the start of the conflict. Since that time, there has been an unprecedented change in the number of the ZNPP staff which could impede the site’s ability to be able to effectively respond to emergency situations."

Details: The IAEA stressed the need to allow the ISAMZ group to observe future exercises.

The IAEA has doubts that the personnel recruited by the Russians have licences to work at the nuclear power plant.

In particular, the IAEA learned last week that Rostekhnadzor, Russia's nuclear and radiation safety regulator, had decided to issue licences to the plant's employees.

The IAEA cites indirect indications that the plant's personnel do not meet the qualification requirements.

For example, it was reported that this week the plant will start maintenance of the main transformers of units No. 1, 2 and 3, similar to the one recently carried out on the transformers of units No. 4, 5 and 6.

Quote: "The IAEA has been concerned that some of the maintenance activities that have been carried out on the safety systems of the reactor units may have been  incomplete, warranting additional maintenance to be carried out."

More details: This became clear in the summer, after power unit No. 4 appeared to have undergone safety system maintenance. However, in August, the unit was returned to cold shutdown due to a water leak in one of the steam generators. Further maintenance was also required to clean the heat exchangers of the unit's safety systems.

Quote from Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA: "Nuclear safety and security remain at risk the longer the plant has reduced levels of trained and experienced staff. It is not a sustainable situation for Europe’s largest nuclear power plant."

More details: Grossi said that ZNPP had been unable to maintain a comprehensive systematic maintenance programme, especially due to the reduction of experienced maintenance staff.

"The IAEA continues to gather information on the status and condition of staff," they added.

The IAEA also continues to emphasise that it needs access to all six machine halls to assess safety, but experts were again prevented from visiting parts of the turbine hall of Unit No. 1 on 10 November. And access to the machine halls of units No. 1, 2 and 4 was restricted during the October rounds by the Russians.

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