On June 7, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said that the very important thing for the Zaporizhzhia (ZNPP) nuclear power plant is to continue to ensure enough water to prevent the reactor melting.
Europe's largest nuclear power plant relies on the Kakhovka reservoir to cool six reactors. However, the water level has dropped 2.8 m since the Kakhovka dam broke early on June 6. Mr. Grossi warned that once the water level is below 12.7 m, the plant will not be able to pump water from the reservoir.
Since the full extent of the dam break is still unknown, it is unpredictable whether this can happen, said IAEA Director. But with the current level of water reducing by 5-7 cm/hour, it is unlikely to be avoided in the next 2 days.
Mr. Grossi quoted a report from IAEA experts present at the site saying that the plant needs to store water while it can still. He plans to visit the plant next week and bring more observers to enhance the IAEA's presence at the facility.
More than ever, IAEAs strengthened presence at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is of vital importance to help prevent the risk of nuclear accidents and their potential consequences to humans and the environment at a time when military activity in the region is on the rise, said Grossi.
Zaporizhzhia is Europe's largest nuclear power plant, with six reactors capable of generating one gigawatt of electricity per reactor.
The Russian military has controlled the plant since March last year. The area where the plant is located voted to join Russia in September 2022.
Russia accused Ukraine of destroying the Kakhovka dam and causing widespread flooding in Kherson. President Vladimir Putin called this an act equivalent to terrorism.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Moscow would retaliate against any attempt by Kiev to endanger the critical infrastructure of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant or the city of Energodar.
Russia will respond extremely strongly to any Ukrainian attack on the ZNPP, critical infrastructure including the plants power lines and of course, Energodar, where the facilitys staff and their families live, RT quoted Zakharova as saying at a regular press conference on June 7.
Zakharova noted that the destruction of the Kakhovka dam has threatened to disrupt water supply to the ZNPP's reactor cooling system, potentially causing a crisis. The Chinese and Russian ambassadors to the United Nations have warned the Security Council about the possibility.
"We also do not rule out Provocation against the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant," Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said at the Security Council, noting that the United Nations did not condemn Ukraine's attacks on the facility.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also criticized the United Nations and the Red Cross for "not taking action" in the context of flooding caused by the Kakhovka dam burst. He also stressed that Ukraine could not achieve anything military-levelness from the acts of what Kiev and Moscow were blaming each other for sabotage.
Mr Zelensky said that the nuclear plant is currently controlled by Russia, so Kiev cannot prove the allegations against Moscow with concrete evidence.
The Kakhovka Dam in Kherson partially broke on the morning of June 6, causing flooding in many towns and villages along the Dnepr River. Russia and Ukraine accused each other of attacking the dam.
