Massive Damage at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant: Demolition Likely

Rafael Grossi, head of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, reported severe damage to a cooling tower at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, likely necessitating demolition. Both Ukraine and Russia blame each other for the fire. Grossi emphasized the fragility of the situation during a visit to the plant.

Rafael Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, confirmed during his visit to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant that a cooling tower severely damaged in a fire will likely need to be demolished. The plant, under Russian occupation since February 2022, has seen both Kyiv and Moscow accusing each other of endangering its safety.

Grossi, wearing protective gear, shared a video on the messaging platform X, where he assessed the damage high up in the cooling tower. 'Until today, we hadn't been able to get to this point, so we can assess the damage much better,' Grossi explained. 'This big structure is not usable in the future, so it will probably be demolished at some point,' he stated. The fire occurred on August 11, with both Russia and Ukraine trading accusations over the cause.

During his inspection, Grossi also checked a pumping station and a nuclear fuel storage facility at the plant. He described the situation as 'very fragile' when discussing the conditions at Zaporizhzhia with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Grossi previously visited the Kursk nuclear plant in Russia, warning of a similar risk of a nuclear incident due to the Ukrainian forces' proximity.

(With inputs from agencies.)