International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday after talks with energy officials on safety issues at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Reuters reported.
Putin told Grossi he was ready to discuss “particularly sensitive and important issues on the agenda … and do everything to ensure security wherever we are in one or the other involved in nuclear energy,” the Kremlin stated.
Zaporizhzhia lies close to the front line in a part of southern Ukraine controlled by Russia. All six of its reactors are shut down, but constant power and water supplies are needed to maintain cooling and prevent a catastrophic meltdown.
The plant suffered a fire in March 2022, and Russian and Ukrainian troops continue to fight nearby, blaming each other for shelling around the plant. The IAEA is trying to establish a safety mechanism to prevent a large-scale disaster.
Grossi held talks with the Russian state-owned Rosatom company, highlighting security in Zaporizhzhia as a top priority, according to Russian media. He also negotiated with the Russian defence and foreign ministries.
Zaporozhzhia has lost contact with all external power lines eight times in the past 18 months, forcing it to rely on diesel generators to cool the fuel in its reactors. Although one of the main power lines was currently functioning, the IAEA stated that the situation at the plant remained unstable.
One of the plant’s six reactors, according to the IAEA, must be kept in hot shutdown mode to produce steam needed for nuclear safety, including for processing liquid radioactive waste in storage tanks.
Grossi inspected the wells last month to determine whether they had enough water for cooling and welcomed the reduction in firing around the facility. The IAEA chief concluded that water supplies were sufficient.
