IAEA chief to lead mission to Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant after Kakhovka dam demolition

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, will lead an IAEA mission to the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant after the Kakhovka dam demolition.

The Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe's biggest nuclear power plant, relies on water from the Kakhovka Reservoir to provide power for its turbine condensers, according to the Ukrainian state nuclear energy agency Energoatom.

Grossi announced his decision on social media after a phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 6.

"After concerning developments following the destruction of the Kahkovka HPP dam, I will be leading the next rotation of our IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhia NPP (ISAMZ) next week with a reinforced team. A crucial moment for nuclear safety," IAEA's director wrote on Twitter.

Russian forces destroyed the Kakhovka dam on the morning of June 6, sparking a humanitarian and environmental disaster across southern Ukraine.

The breach caused the draining of the Kakhovka Reservoir, expected to be completely emptied out in two to four days.

The IAEA warned earlier in May that the situation at the plant is growing more dangerous due to frequent bombings nearby.