U.S. calls for IAEA access to Zaporizhzhya NPP

WASHINGTON. Aug 19 (Interfax) - Spokesman for the U.S. Department of State Ned Price called on Thursday for the provision of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant.

"The International Atomic Energy Agency must be given access to the NPP as soon as possible," Price said.

The U.S. remains deeply concerned about the Zaporizhzhya NPP situation, he said.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi asked Russia and Ukraine last week to ensure the soonest access of an IAEA mission to the Zaporizhzhya NPP and expressed the readiness to lead the mission personally.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at the end of May that the IAEA administration was in contact with both Russia and Ukraine with regard to a possible visit to the Zaporizhzhya NPP, which is currently controlled by Russian forces.

The Zaporizhzhya NPP is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. It operates six VVER-1000 reactor units, the first of which was put into operation in December 1984 and the sixth in October 1995.

The Zaporizhzhya region is partly controlled by Russian forces as a result of the special military operation being conducted in Ukraine.