Vienna (EFE).- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will reinforce next week its presence at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant after the destruction of the Kajovka dam, since the water from that reservoir is what cools the complex reactors.
“Now more than ever, the strengthened presence of the IAEA at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant is of vital importance to help prevent the danger of a nuclear accident and its possible consequences for people and the environment,” said the director general of the agency. UN atomic force, Rafael Grossi, in a statement.
The Argentine diplomat will travel in person next week to assess the damage to the nuclear power plant and will be accompanied by a reinforced team of international officials who will remain in the complex.
The nuclear power plant has increased all its reserves of cooling water for the reactors due to the decrease in the levels of the Kajovka reservoir, and, according to the IAEA, these own deposits will be enough for “several months”.
reservoir level
The plant is shut down, but the six reactors and used fuel still require water to cool, preventing reactor meltdowns and a possible release of radioactive material.
The reservoir’s water level has dropped about 2.8 meters since the dam’s destruction early Tuesday, reaching 14.03 meters on Wednesday, according to the IAEA.
The rate of descent of the water is between 5 and 7 centimeters per hour and if the level drops below 12.7 meters, the nuclear power plant will no longer be able to pump water from the reservoir.
“Since the full extent of the damage to the dam is still unknown, it is not possible to predict if and when this might happen,” the UN nuclear agency said.
Grossi stressed the importance of keeping the other water sources at the plant intact, especially the large cooling pool near the complex.