IAEA head Rafael Grossi called on Russia and Ukraine to agree on a temporary cessation zone near the Zaporizhzhia NPP so that Ukrainian technicians can safely carry out necessary repair work, UNN reports with reference to the IAEA.
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IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today that the IAEA has begun consultations on establishing a temporary ceasefire zone in the area where the last 330 kV backup line of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) was damaged and disconnected on January 2 as a result of military actions, leaving the plant completely dependent on the single functioning 750 kV line.
The proposal asks the Russian Federation and Ukraine to agree on a temporary ceasefire zone approximately 10 kilometers from the 330 kV open switchyard of the Zaporizhzhia NPP so that Ukrainian technicians can safely carry out necessary repair work.
The latest ceasefire proposal comes after successful repair work under a local ceasefire brokered by the IAEA on December 30. This is the third time in recent months that temporary truce arrangements, agreed upon and monitored by the IAEA, have allowed work to be carried out on power lines critical to nuclear safety that were damaged during the conflict.
"The IAEA continues to actively engage with both sides to ensure nuclear safety and security at the plant," Director General Grossi said. "We are confident that the Russian Federation and Ukraine will continue to work constructively with us to carry out these necessary repairs and reduce the risk of an accident."
Over the past week, the IAEA team present at the ZNPP also reported a significant increase in military activity in the areas around the ZNPP, including some explosions heard near the site.