Russian nuclear plants are ‘reliably protected,’ Rosatom head says

The head of Russia’s state nuclear energy company Rosatom said on Thursday that Russian nuclear power plants are reliably protected, and that the International Atomic Energy Agency presence at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is additional protection, state-owned news agency TASS reported.

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The breach on Tuesday of the Kakhovka dam, from which cooling water for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is drawn, has raised concerns about the safety of Europe’s largest nuclear plant, which has been under Russian control since March 2022.

Earlier Thursday, the United Nations nuclear chief Rafael Grossi said that the watchdog intends to rotate inspectors at the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant next week, but that plans must be agreed with Russian and Ukrainian authorities, Russian state-owned news agency RIA reported.

For it’s part, Ukraine’s nuclear energy company Energoatom said on Thursday that the situation is stable and under control at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant following the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Station and dam.

Energoatom said in a statement that “the situation remains stable and under control” and that the level of water in cooling ponds was 16.6 meters (54.5 ft), which it said was “quite enough to meet the needs of the station.”

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