VIENNA (Reuters) – According to Ukraine’s energy minister, safety concerns at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine, which is currently under Russian control, are getting worse by the day. The minister stated on Friday that Ukraine will continue to pressure Russia at the U.N. nuclear watchdog to withdraw from the site.
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors passed a resolution on Thursday denouncing Russia’s occupation of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and expressing serious concerns about the lack of staffing and maintenance at the facility since it was captured two years ago.
“The situation is quickly heading towards a nuclear accident, and it is crucial to immediately halt the Russian presence,” said Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko during a news conference.
Galushchenko added, “The number of issues has been increasing daily, and if action is not taken soon, we will encounter more problems in the future. Ukraine will continue to push for further resolutions.”
The IAEA, which has a limited presence at the Zaporizhzhia plant, has described the situation as precarious. The plant has experienced eight instances in the past 18 months where it lost external power, necessitating the use of diesel generators to cool the fuel in its reactors and prevent a potential meltdown.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has lasted over two years, has led to accusations from both sides regarding shelling that has caused power line damage.
Former Ukrainian employees of the state-owned power-generating company Energoatom who now work at the ZNPP alongside new Russian colleagues have faced challenges, with some Ukrainians being denied access to the plant since February for refusing to sign Russian contracts.
According to a confidential IAEA report from last week, “The ZNPP staff reportedly were continuing to be under strong psychological stress of various kinds.” The report also noted that before the conflict, the plant had approximately 11,500 staff, which has since been reduced to around 4,500.
Russia has asserted that the plant has enough staff to operate the six reactors, all of which are currently shut down.
Despite Russia’s claims, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi estimated that there were around 100 individuals who were hesitant to sign Russian contracts, but Galushchenko disputed this number, stating that the true figure was 380.
Galushchenko emphasized, “The issue is not just the quantity of people. The problem lies in the fact that these individuals are highly skilled personnel and cannot be easily replaced.”
Grossi recently discussed the Zaporizhzhia situation with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a meeting described by the IAEA as “professional and candid.”
(Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Ros Russell)
