IAEA mission may arrive at Zaporozhye NPP next week

A mission from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) may arrive at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) early next week, reported The Wall Street Journal, citing sources close to the talks.

The details of the trip are being specified. According to the publication, the mission may bring spare parts, radiation control devices and other tools to ZNPP “amid fears that fighting in the area, which damaged power lines and caused fires at the facility, could lead to a nuclear catastrophe.”

On August 16, it became known about the start of preparations for the second IAEA mission to ZNPP. A week later, IAEA director Rafael Grossi said that the mission could take place within a few days if negotiations were successful.

On August 25, Bloomberg reported that the experts’ trip to the ZNPP would take place no later than September 5. On the same day, Grossi announced that he would personally lead this mission. According to him, she will arrive at the station in the coming days. 26 August IAEA Director General allowedthat the mission’s presence on the station could become permanent. He also noted the complexity of the upcoming trip. According to him, the arrival of experts to the site through the war zone is not so easy to implement. Grossi added that it is necessary to choose a safe route and get support from the UN, which will help the experts get to the ZNPP. French President Emmanuel Macron also informedthat the country received security guarantees for the mission from Russia and Ukraine.

During the special operation, the Russian army took control of a part of the Zaporozhye region of Ukraine, including Enerhodar, where the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, the ZNPP, is located. Now the Armed Forces of Ukraine are regularly shelling Energodar, the surrounding villages and the territory of the ZNPP adjacent to the city.