Ukraine’s nuclear agency informed on Tuesday morning that the dam destruction in Nova Kakhova in southern Ukraine could pose a risk to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

So far, however, local authorities have the situation under control, writes news agency Reuters.

”Water from the Kakhovka Reservoir is necessary for the station to receive power for turbine capacitors and safety systems of the ZNPP,” nuclear agency Energoatom writes in a statement on the Telegram messaging app. 

Energoatom also reports that the nuclear cooling pond is adequately full.

”Right now the station’s cooling pond is full: as of 8:00 am, the water level is 16.6 metres, which is sufficient for the station’s needs,” writes Energoatom. 

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, confirm the information.

The agency says it closely monitors the situation, but that there is no immediate nuclear safety risk at the plant, IAEA writes on Twitter.

The dam Nova Kakhovka is situated on the Dnieper River.

It holds a 18 million cubic meter basin. The water is used to cool the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and to supply the Crimean peninsula.

The blast spikes concerns of flooding in the area. On Tuesday morning, authorities have begun evacuating citizens living along the Dnieper River.