MELITOPOL, November 1. /TASS/. Repair work to address a minor water leak in a reactor at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been completed, ZNPP Director Yury Chernichuk told TASS, rejecting speculation about a radioactive leak.

On October 31, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported a small water leak in a ZNPP reactor, emphasizing that repairs were underway and there were no immediate safety concerns nuclear.

“Nothing extraordinary happened; this is a piece of equipment that can sometimes malfunction,” Tchernichuk said. “Regarding the minor leak detected in the pipeline, our staff knows how to handle it. All necessary measures to repair the leak have been implemented,” he added, specifying that the equipment would be returned to service once monitoring procedures are completed.

“We reiterate that no violation of operating safety conditions has been reported and no leak of radioactive substance beyond the limits set by the project,” he concluded.

According to the ZNPP, background radiation levels in and around the nuclear facility are normal.

In a statement, the IAEA noted that regular maintenance of equipment, which is crucial to ensuring sustainable nuclear safety and security, presents challenges for the plant.

The Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, located in Energodar, includes six power generation units with a total capacity of 6 GW, making it the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. In late February 2022, the facility was seized by Russian forces. Since then, Ukrainian military units have periodically bombarded residential areas of Energodar and the plant itself using drones, heavy artillery and multiple rocket launchers. Since September 2022, the six units of the plant have been in cold shutdown.