VIENNA, July 26 (Xinhua) — The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Friday reiterated its concerns over the lingering “highly challenging” nuclear safety and security situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP).
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi noted in a statement the difficulty of ensuring adequate maintenance of key safety systems and other vital equipment at the ZNPP during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“At all nuclear power plants around the world, maintenance is essential to prevent the degradation of reactor structures, systems, and components… if not conducted regularly and comprehensively, it could further increase the risk of a nuclear accident in the future,” Grossi warned.
Over the past week, the IAEA experts stationed at the ZNPP have conducted several walkdowns focused on monitoring maintenance activities across the site and the availability of necessary spare parts for the plant. They did not report any nuclear safety issues related to the observed maintenance activities, according to the statement.
