In light of the Russian occupation troops’ evacuation of residents from the nearby Ukrainian town of Enerhodar, the chairman of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed concern about the safety of Europe’s largest nuclear reactor.
Rafael Grossi stated that the situation at the Zaporizhzhia plant was “becoming increasingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous”.
Prior to an anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive, the evacuation took place.
However, nuclear personnel remain on-site.
Director General Grossi “expressed deep concern about the increasingly tense, stressful, and challenging conditions for personnel and their families while operating staff remain at the site,” according to an IAEA statement.
The IAEA specialists present at the facility were reported to have “received information that the announced evacuation of residents from the nearby town of Enerhodar, where most plant staff live, has started.”
The size of the claimed evacuation could not be confirmed by the BBC.
“We must act now to avert the threat of a serious nuclear accident,” Mr. Grossi stated.
The IAEA has already issued concerns about safety at the plant after shelling caused some installation damage and brief power interruptions, but without causing any radioactive leaks.
The plant was using diesel generators to power essential cooling systems after power lines were damaged, which was condemned by the IAEA in March.
According to the IAEA, the plant’s six reactors are all in shutdown status.
According to site director Yuri Chernichuk, who is quoted in the article, operating staff is not being evacuated and is taking all required precautions to preserve nuclear safety there.
The number of employees at the plant has decreased since Russia began its invasion in February 2022, according to the IAEA, “but site management has stated that it has remained sufficient for the safe operation of the plant.”
The majority of the Zaporizhzhia region is under Russian control, but the capital city, Zaporizhzhia, which is located just to the northeast of Enerhodar across the Dnipro Reservoir, is not. Along with Enerhodar, Russia has mandated the evacuation of locals from 18 frontline positions.
Yevgeny Balitsky, the regional leader who had been installed by Russia, claimed on Friday that “the enemy has stepped up shelling of settlements close to the front line” in recent days.
He declared on social media that “I have therefore decided to evacuate first of all children and parents, elderly people, disabled people, and hospital patients.”
