Russia blocks IAEA access to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant's cooling tower following fire

Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Energy, Mykola Kolisnyk, disclosed this during the United News telethon broadcast.

He noted that while IAEA representatives were able to conduct a preliminary inspection of the cooling tower and assess radiation levels, their investigation was limited.

"Post-inspection, the experts requested access to the core area of the cooling tower, specifically the section housing the water distribution nozzles, where they suspect there may be damage. However, they were denied entry," Kolisnyk stated.

He also highlighted that the IAEA has not yet reached a final conclusion regarding the circumstances of the fire at the cooling tower.

The fire at Zaporizhzhia NPP on August 11

Russian forces ignited a fire at the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. On August 11, thick black smoke was seen rising from the site.

Yevhen Yevtushenko, head of the Nikopol district military administration, shared that, according to unofficial reports, Russian troops set fire to a large number of car tires in the cooling towers. This act was likely an attempt to provoke or instill panic among nearby residents.

Energoatom later confirmed the fire: "On August 11, 2024, around 8:00 p.m., a fire broke out at the technical water supply facility on the grounds of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The fire damaged cooling tower number one and other technological equipment."

The fire may have been caused by Russian troops' negligence or could have been a deliberate arson of the cooling tower, which is located about a kilometer from the station’s power units.

As of 12:30 a.m. on August 12, radiation levels at the station remained within normal limits, with no threat of radiation exposure to the population.

IAEA experts also observed thick dark smoke at the Zaporizhzhia NPP after the evening explosions. They suggested a possible drone attack on the cooling tower.

"Team was told by ZNPP of an alleged drone attack today on one of the cooling towers located at the site. No impact has been reported for nuclear safety," the IAEA stated.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remarked that the fire at the Zaporizhzhia NPP was visible from Nikopol, stressing that "as long as Russian terrorists control the nuclear plant, the situation is far from normal." He added that Ukraine expects the world to respond to yet another provocation by Russia.

Russia claimed that the fire at the ZNPP cooling system facility was allegedly caused by Ukrainian shelling.

Reference: A cooling tower is a specialized heat exchanger where heat from the water is removed primarily through evaporation in contact with the airflow.