The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) viewed evidence provided to the team today that continues to indicate that Monday's fire did not start at the base of the cooling tower, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.
Following its visit to the impact site yesterday, the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhya (ISAMZ) team returned today to cooling tower 1. Due to safety reasons, the team observed from ground level as ZNPP staff filmed and photographed the fire damage to the interior of the tower from the water nozzle distribution level, which is approximately 10 meters high. The photographs and video footage were shown immediately to the team.
The ISAMZ team was later provided with copies of the photos and footage which confirm extensive damage to the internal components at the water nozzle distribution level.
"The evidence gathered reinforces our conclusion that the main fire seems unlikely to be at the base of the cooling tower," Director General Grossi said.
From the photos and footage of the cooling tower's interior, the team identified debris consistent with a significant fire and observed dark scorch marks across the interior of the concrete walls rising from the water nozzle distribution level. No foreign objects or materials were visible.
The ZNPP has informed the team that the impact of the fire on the structural integrity of cooling tower 1 needs to be assessed and that there may be a need to dismantle it.
The team has requested access to the second of the two cooling towers at the plant in order to see inside the structure and identify similar materials and specifications which may have been present in cooling tower 1 prior to the fire.
During its walkdown and just after requesting access to cooling tower 2, the ISAMZ team was promptly accompanied back to a secure location due to an air raid alarm.
"Obtaining access to the water nozzle distribution level would be important for the team to obtain a better understanding of the events and other relevant circumstances. The Agency will continue to request this as part of our role to monitor compliance with the five concrete principles for the protection of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant", said Director General Grossi.
