Water level in cooling pond at ZNPP drops by more than 3.2 m since collapse of Kakhovka dam – IAEA
The water level in the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) cooling pond has dropped by just over 3.2 metres since the downstream Kakhovka dam was destroyed in June 2023, falling by almost 60 centimetres in the past three months alone, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported on September 4, citing a statement by Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.
"This recently prompted the ZNPP to build an isolation dam in the cooling pond channel that supplies water for several plant systems," the IAEA said.
The IAEA team reports that the ZNPP is now using mobile pumps to transfer water from the main cooling pond into this cooling channel, whose current height of about 14.1 metres enables other pumps to provide cooling water to the main reactor unit transformers and other important operating systems.
"We will continue to monitor this matter very closely, as reliable access to cooling water is essential for nuclear safety and security," Grossi said.
Last weekend, the IAEA team performed a walkdown of another vital part of the ZNPP cooling infrastructure – 12 sprinkler ponds that receive water from groundwater wells that were drilled after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam. These ponds are providing water to cool the reactors and spent fuel, among other systems important to safety. The team confirmed that they are all full.
"The extremely fragile off-site power situation and difficulties related to access to cooling water continue to be two of the most challenging areas for nuclear safety and security at the ZNPP," the IAEA said.
Underlining the ever-present dangers to nuclear safety and security, the IAEA team at the ZNPP reported hearing explosions and other military activities on several days over the past week, coming from outside the site. Earlier on September 4, the team reported hearing six explosions from very close to the site. No impact on nuclear safety and security was reported.
The IAEA teams at Ukraine's operating NPPs – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine (Pivdennoukrainska) – and the Chornobyl site continue to monitor nuclear safety and security at the respective sites.
On September 3 night and September 4 morning, all IAEA teams reported air raid alarms. The team at Rivne also heard multiple rounds of gunfire and observed unidentified flying objects from their hotel, located approximately four kilometres from the plant. The site management informed the team that eight drones had been detected within its monitoring zone.
The IAEA team members at the South Ukraine NPP were informed that three drones were identified two kilometres from the site.