IAEA: “No change in radiation levels at Ukraine nuclear power plant after fire”

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces, shows flames and smoke rising from one of its cooling towers on August 11 (local time).<>(Geneva=Yonhap News) Correspondent Ahn Hee reports that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced on 12th (local time) that no significant radiation risks were detected after a fire broke out at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant.<>Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, stated in a release that they confirmed the incident at one of the cooling towers of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant involved a drone attack and reports of explosions, but emphasized that the event did not affect nuclear safety.<>He further explained that there was no radioactive material around the cooling tower where the drone attack occurred, and as a result, there was no increased risk of radiation. Experts on site judged that there is no immediate threat to the operation of the six reactors at the plant, even if the cooling tower is damaged.<>Grossi pointed out the importance of preventing the fire from spreading to essential safety facilities, emphasizing that any military action against nuclear facilities violates the basic principles of nuclear facility protection and calls for an immediate halt to such reckless attacks.<>The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is currently under Russian control, although it is operated by Ukrainian personnel. The IAEA has stationed experts at the plant to inspect safety issues that could potentially lead to a major nuclear accident.<>The state-owned Russian nuclear energy company, Rosatom, issued a statement the previous day, reporting that one of the two cooling towers at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant caught fire due to a Ukrainian drone attack at around 8:20 p.m. The fire was extinguished, but Rosatom added that the internal structure of the cooling tower was severely damaged.<>On the other hand, Ukraine countered that the Russian military, under pressure from the ongoing Ukrainian offensive on Russian soil since the 6th, set fire to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and tried to blame Ukraine for it.<>prayerahn@yna.co.kr<>