Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine
Earlier on Monday, Grossi addressed the NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) review conference on threats to international security, the growing role of nuclear power in tackling energy and climate crises, and threats to nuclear safety in Ukraine, which has been under attack from Russia since February 25.
During the address, the IAEA chief said that nuclear is safer than it has ever been. “But we are being tested once again. This time by war. War in Ukraine is threatening one of the world’s biggest nuclear power programmes,” Grossi said. He spoke of the IAEA’s seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety and security, which are being violated, particularly at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, which is under Russian occupation.
“While this war rages on, inaction is unconscionable. If an accident occurs at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, we will not have a natural disaster to blame. We will have only ourselves to answer to,” he said while spelling out the need for an IAEA team of experts and safeguards inspectors to visit the plant.
