IAEA / GROSSI UKRAINE ZAPORIZHIA
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STORY: IAEA / GROSSI UKRAINE ZAPORIZHZHYA
TRT: 05:23
SOURCE: IAEA
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 06 FEBRUARY 2024, KYIV, UKRAINE
1. Wide shot, vehicle with IAEA logo
2. Wide shot, IAEA delegation at meeting with Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
“What we are focusing on at the moment is the situation with regards to the cooling function of the plant which as you know is very fragile after the blow up of the Nova Kakhovka dam. So, we have to see the measures that the administration there took to mitigate that, how they are working. We will be looking also into staffing issues. As you know, there have been some announcements that a number of staff which decided not to sign contracts with the Russian company are being banned from the from the plant. So, I want to see what the impact of this is in the operation of the plant.”
4. Med shot, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi speaking
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
“The plant is not generating electricity. So, there are lots of things that you have to do because there are many safety functions. One reactor is in hot shutdown, which means that it's operating at a very low level and with this amount of staff, you can do it. Obviously, if the plant were to restart at some point, this would not be sustainable. So, it will be very important for me also to get a clarification from the people there and don't forget, I'm coming to Moscow next week. So, in Moscow, I suppose I will be able to have a high-level discussion about the perspectives for the future at the plant.”
6. Wide shot, cameras
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
“One of the principles I set out at the Security Council is that there shouldn't be any placement of heavy military equipment, rocket launchers, heavy artillery, things like this at the plant. And for the moment we have seen that this has been observed. So, we continue. It's, you know, a day-to-day thing. What is today valid might not be next week, especially in a combat zone, but this is why we are very keen on saying to the detail what is happening there.”
8. Wide shot, Grossi and Galushchenko during news conference
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
“The fate of the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe and the consequences of a problem there exceed, go beyond, a merely technical aspect. And this is why when I’m here I talk to President Zelensky, and I have spoken with President Vladimir Putin as well. These are issues of a global concern for international peace and security. These are issues of a high political significance, so this is why for me, beyond the technical aspects, it is also important to have a conversation on the fundamental implications of what is happening there – now and in the future.”
10. Wide shot, cameras
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
“We hope that by ensuring that the plant is protected, that there is no radiological accident on top of the victims of this war. We will be adding a very indispensable contribution for a good outcome after this war ends, which we hope will be soon.”
12. Wide shot, Grossi and Galushchenko during news conference
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
“Apart from the political positions, which are well known, here, there are objective technical issues that need to be addressed no matter which side you are. So, I think the Russians have a higher responsibility because they are in control.”
14. Wide shot, cameras
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
“We apply safety standards and security guidelines. And these are valid for everybody. These have been agreed by all the experts for a long time. So, we have to make sure that there is no exception even in a circumstance like this. So, I will be able to tell you after I have the conversations over there. But, for sure, it is a very, very important, aspect. What is happening now, what is the outlook, as we enter, you know, the third year of this conflict.”
16. Wide shot, Grossi and Galushchenko during news conference
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
“We are not here to say I was right, and you were wrong. All we want to do is ensure that nothing happens that would increase the possibility of an accident. So there many occasions where through this technical interaction we were able to correct some things, in collaboration with the experts that are there – Ukrainian and Russian.”
18. Pan right, Grossi exits hotel and enters car
19. Pan right, IAEA car convoy leaving
In Kyiv ahead of his visit to Zaporizhzhya, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi today (6 Feb) said, “the fate of the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe and the consequences of a problem there exceed, go beyond, a merely technical aspect.”
Before a meeting with Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko Grossi said, “what we are focusing on at the moment is the situation with regards to the cooling function of the plant which as you know is very fragile after the blow up of the Nova Kakhovka dam.”
He said, “we will be looking also into staffing issues. As you know, there have been some announcements that a number of staff which decided not to sign contracts with the Russian company are being banned from the from the plant. So, I want to see what is the impact of this in the operation of the plant.”
The IAEA Director General noted that “the plant is not generating electricity” at the moment, but stressed that “obviously, if the plant were to restart at some point, this would not be sustainable. So, it will be very important for me also to get a clarification from the people there and don't forget, I'm coming to Moscow next week.
Grossi said, “one of the principles I set out at the Security Council is that there shouldn't be any placement of heavy military equipment, rocket launchers, heavy artillery, things like this at the plant. And for the moment we have seen that this has been observed.”
Standing next Galushchenko after their meeting, Grossi told reporters that “these are issues of a global concern for international peace and security. These are issues of a high political significance, so this is why for me, beyond the technical aspects, it is also important to have a conversation on the fundamental implications of what is happening there – now and in the future.”
He said, “we hope that by ensuring that the plant is protected, that there is no radiological accident on top of the victims of this war. We will be adding a very indispensable contribution for a good outcome after this war ends, which we hope will be soon.”
“Apart from the political positions, which are well known,” Grossi continued, “there are objective technical issues that need to be addressed no matter which side you are. So, I think the Russians have a higher responsibility because they are in control.”
The Director General said, “we apply safety standards and security guidelines. And these are valid for everybody. These have been agreed by all the experts for a long time. So, we have to make sure that there is no exception even in a circumstance like this. So, I will be able to tell you after I have the conversations over there. But, for sure, it is a very, very important, aspect. What is happening now, what is the outlook, as we enter, you know, the third year of this conflict.”
He said, “we are not here to say I was right, and you were wrong. All we want to do is ensure that nothing happens that would increase the possibility of an accident. So there many occasions where through this technical interaction we were able to correct some things, in collaboration with the experts that are there – Ukrainian and Russian.”.”
This will be the fourth time the Director General crosses the frontline of the war to visit the power plant, whose six reactors have all been in shutdown for nearly eighteen months but still hold large amounts of nuclear fuel that must be kept adequately cooled.
The latest IAEA update on the situation in Ukraine reported on a new announcement from the occupied plant, stating that no workers employed by Ukraine’s national operator Energoatom would be allowed to remain working at the site any longer.