Situation at Two Ukrainian Nuclear Facilities is Matter of Deep Concern

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is not receiving data from the Chornobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants that are under the control of Russian troops.

According to the agency, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed deep concern about this development as the agency does not have access to information about what is happening at the sites of large amounts of nuclear material.

The reasons why the data are not sent are unknown. Instead, the IAEA continues to receive such data from other nuclear facilities in Ukraine. Eight of the country’s 15 reactors remained operating and their radiation levels are normal.

Data transmission systems are built into nuclear power plants so that the IAEA can remotely monitor nuclear material and work at stations, even in the absence of inspectors. The IAEA is measuring and certifying that countries fulfill their commitments to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

The IAEA Director General is planning a visit to Antalya at the invitation of the Turkish Foreign Minister to agree on the safety of Ukrainian nuclear power plants. Recently, Rafael Grossi said he was ready to make a visit to Ukraine to negotiate the safety of nuclear facilities.

At the same time, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, wrote on Twitter that no one now understands what is happening in Chernobyl, who is doing what there and what is threatening the region.

Earlier, Ukraine informed the IAEA that the rotation of about 210 technical staff and security guards working there after the capture of the station by Russian troops is becoming increasingly important for the safe management of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Staff are still staying there and have limited access to food, water, and medicines.

The day before, Energoatom announced that the Chornobyl NPP and all nuclear facilities of the Exclusion Zone were left without electricity. This can lead to the leakage of radioactive substances into the environment.

Bohdan Marusyak