IAEA chief's visit to Zaporozhye NPP scheduled for March 29 - Rosenergoatom head's advisor

ROSTOV-ON-DON. March 27 (Interfax) - Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi is scheduled to visit the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant in Energodar on Wednesday, March 29, Renat Karchaa, advisor to Concern Rosenergoatom's head, told Interfax on Sunday.

"The visit will take place on March 29. There are 18 people in the delegation," Karchaa said.

The same day, the rotation of the organization's inspectors at the Zaporozhye NPP is also due to take place.

Grossi said earlier that he intends to visit the Zaporozhye NPP next week to assess the nuclear safety situation. Another purpose of his visit will be to ensure that the regular rotation of the IAEA personnel at the NPP is maintained and improved.

"I've decided to travel again to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant to see for myself how the situation has evolved since September and to talk to those operating the facility in these unprecedented and very difficult circumstances," Grossi was quoted as saying by the IAEA.

The Zaporozhye NPP, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, operates six VVER-1000 power units. According to the updated information, two of them are operational, but in hot shutdown mode only for heat supply. The plant has not produced electricity since September 11, 2022.

The NPP facilities have been transferred to Russian ownership, and the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant Federal State Unitary Enterprise has been established. The operator is the Operating Organization of the Zaporozhye NPP, which was established by Rosenergoatom, part of Rosatom State Corporation.

On September 1, 2022, an IAEA mission visited the plant for the first time. After that, several specialists of the agency remain at the plant, and they are periodically rotated. The latest rotation took place on March 2, after three unsuccessful attempts.