Russia denies IAEA access to thermal plant near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant again

The Russian occupiers have once again rejected a request from the IAEA mission at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) for access to a nearby thermal power plant to assess the external backup power supply. Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Quote: "The IAEA team at the ZNPP again this week requested access to the 330 kV switchyard at the nearby thermal power plant to assess the situation regarding external back-up electrical connections there.

As per previous requests, they were not granted such access this time either."

Details: The IAEA team was promised that "they will be able to access the reactor rooftops in the coming days." Quote: "The IAEA has previously been given access to three of the reactor roofs - of units 2, 3 and 4 - but not the others. Last week, the experts were granted partial access to the turbine halls of all six reactor units."

More details: The IAEA stated that five of ZNPP's six reactors remain in cold shutdown mode, while unit 4 is in hot shutdown to generate steam and heat, including for the neighbouring city of Enerhodar, where most of the plant's staff live.

The Russian occupation administration at ZNPP informed the IAEA that "there are currently no plans to return unit 5 to hot shutdown".

Background:

• In November, an incident occurred at ZNPP's unit 5 with a leakage of reagents from the primary reactor circuit to the second. 
• Due to the incompetence of Russian personnel, in particular the shift supervisor of the chemical workshop who lost control over the saturation of the special water purification filters, water from the primary circuit containing a boric acid solution began to enter the turbine hall deaerator, and from there again to all steam generators. 

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