The Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhiia, the largest in Europe, occupied by Russian troops, is at the center of international concerns because of the incessant bombardments of which kyiv and Moscow accuse each other.
In a report published Tuesday a few days after the visit of 14 experts including its chief Rafael Grossi, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) judged “the current situation untenable” and called for the immediate establishment of a “safety zone” to prevent a nuclear accident.
This chaos brings back painful memories of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Soviet Ukraine, which killed hundreds and caused radioactive contamination across Europe.
“Significant damage”
Located near the town of Energodar on the Dnipro (Dnieper in Russian) river, the plant has six of Ukraine’s 15 reactors, capable of supplying four million homes.
The six Soviet-designed VVER-1000 units, which have a total generating capacity of nearly 6,000 megawatts, were all commissioned between 1984 and 1995, according to operator Energoatom.
Before the war, the plant produced about a fifth of Ukraine’s electricity. The country, which has large reserves of uranium, is the seventh largest producer of nuclear energy in the world, according to the IAEA.
The site, not far from the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea (south) annexed by Moscow in 2014, fell to Russian troops on March 4, shortly after the start of the invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
The buildings then suffered “significant damage” and subsequently, the “physical integrity” of the site, overflown in particular by missiles, was “violated” on several occasions, indicates the UN body, stressing that the bombardments have intensified since August.
In its report, the Agency lists the various damages it observed during the mission. On photos, we see broken windows, gutted roofs.
Central disconnected
It notes “with concern that the strikes could have affected structures, systems and components” essential to safety. “It’s a constant threat,” warns Mr. Grossi.
As a result of military activities that damaged the power lines, the plant was disconnected from the external network on Friday evening and operates with a backup line, after a first similar incident on August 25.
Now only one reactor is in operation and continues to produce the electricity needed for nuclear fuel cooling and safety functions. The others are in maintenance or shut down.
“Radiation levels in the area remain normal,” according to information provided to the IAEA.
Staff under pressure
The operation of the plant is still ensured by Ukrainian employees.
But they are facing “very difficult circumstances”, due to “the presence of Russian military personnel, vehicles and equipment at various locations on the site”, noted the IAEA.
Experts from the Russian group Rosatom have also been sent to the site, “which could lead to potential interference and friction in the decision-making process” according to the Agency.
The staff, estimated at 900 people (compared to 1,230 in normal times), is “subject to constant stress”, adds the report, Mr. Grossi condemning “any violent act committed against employees”, in or near the site.
A safe zone?
The IAEA, which left two experts on site “permanently”, called for “immediately stopping the bombardments to avoid causing further damage to the installations”.
With this in mind, it recommends “the establishment of a zone of nuclear security and protection”.
An idea to which Moscow and kyiv had not yet reacted on Tuesday evening.
Vladimir Rogov, a member of the pro-Russian occupation administration in the Zaporizhia region, was critical.
“To maintain the integrity of the nuclear power plant, it is necessary to agree not on the simple creation of a protection zone, but on the establishment of a ceasefire”, he said. he told the Tass agency.