Zaporizhzhia NPP reactors should be in cold shutdown during the war – Grossi.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommends not restarting the reactors of the Zaporizhzhia NPP while the war continues. This was stated by the Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi. The situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP remains unstable due to explosions, drone attacks, shelling, and power outages, which increase the risk of a nuclear accident.

Rafael Grossi noted that now the cooling towers, part of the cooling system, are not needed, so they are not used, as all the reactor units of the NPP are in cold shutdown.

According to the agency's recommendations, no reactor will be restarted until the conflict threatens the nuclear and physical security of the station, noted the Director General of the IAEA.

The IAEA's work at the NPP remains important for reducing the likelihood of a nuclear accident.

The nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia has been under occupation since March 2022. The Russians violate nuclear and radiation safety principles, mine the station's territory, do not allow qualified personnel to work, and interrupt the NPP's power lines from the Ukrainian power grid.

The IAEA mission at the station has been continuously present since September 2022, but the Russians do not provide the agency's experts full access to all areas of the NPP.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi discussed the support of Ukrainian NPPs with the heads of the Ministry of Energy, State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, and Energoatom during his visit to Kyiv before traveling to the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP.

He also visited and inspected the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant.