Drone strike escalates nuclear safety risks at Zaporizhzhya plant, IAEA warns

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has said that the nuclear safety situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) is deteriorating following a drone strike that hit the road around the plant site perimeter.

“Yet again we see an escalation of the nuclear safety and security dangers facing the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. I remain extremely concerned and reiterate my call for maximum restraint from all sides and for strict observance of the five concrete principles established for the protection of the plant,” Grossi said, Caliber.Az reports, citing the IAEA website.

Last week, the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhya (ISAMZ) team was informed by ZNPP that an explosive carried by a drone detonated just outside of the plant’s protected area. The impact site was close to the essential cooling water sprinkler ponds and about 100 metres from the Dniprovska power line, the only remaining 750 kilovolt (kV) line providing a power supply to ZNPP.

The ISAMZ team immediately inspected the impact site and confirmed that the damage was consistent with a drone strike. The team also reported that military activity around the plant has been particularly intense over the past week, with frequent explosions, heavy machine gun and rifle fire, and artillery heard at varying distances from the ZNPP. Despite Director General Grossi’s repeated calls for restraint, there has been no reduction in the military presence near the plant.

On August 10, ZNPP informed the IAEA team that artillery had struck a power and water substation in the nearby city of Enerhodar, where most ZNPP staff reside. The attack resulted in the failure of two transformers, causing a citywide power outage that necessitated the use of diesel generators to supply water. Power was restored to the city on August 11.

Additionally, a significant fire broke out at one of the ZNPP cooling towers earlier this week, causing considerable damage. While there was no immediate threat to nuclear safety, the incident added to concerns about the plant's vulnerability in the ongoing conflict.

IAEA teams stationed at other nuclear facilities in Ukraine, including the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne, and South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plants, as well as the Chornobyl site, have also reported frequent air raid alarms and drone attacks in recent days.

Director General Grossi highlighted the inherent risks associated with operating nuclear power plants in conflict zones, noting that while these facilities are designed to withstand technical failures and extreme external events, they are not built to endure direct military attacks.

He stressed the need for continued monitoring of the situation and expressed his readiness to assess the circumstances firsthand, including the possibility of visiting the plant.