International Nuclear Energy Agency Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi has described the radiation levels at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant as normal after it was occupied by Russian troops, AFP reported.
“The level of radiation, I would say, is normal … There were certain moments when the level increased due to the movement of heavy equipment that Russian troops brought here, and when they left the station,” Grossi was quoted by AFP during his visit to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on April 26.
The agency, which previously indicated that the IAEA Director General called the level of radiation abnormal, subsequently corrected his words on his Twitter.
As reported, Grossi visits the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on the anniversary of the accident on April 26. He led the agency’s mission to the station to deliver various types of radiation monitoring equipment, including radionuclide identification devices and gamma dose rate meters, to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, as well as conduct radiological and other assessments. In addition, IAEA experts plan to repair the systems for remote monitoring of safeguards that stopped transmitting data to the agency’s headquarters in Vienna immediately after the station was seized by Russian invaders.
As noted by the IAEA, since the withdrawal of the Russian military from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukraine has taken significant steps to operate it safely, but the overall situation in the exclusion zone remains difficult, in part due to damaged bridges and demining activities.
The IAEA also noted that, in close coordination with Ukraine, it developed detailed plans for providing assistance in the security of the country’s nuclear facilities.
Russian troops left the Chernobyl zone on March 31 after a five-week stay in it since the capture at the beginning of the war on February 24. During their stay in the zone, the Russian military, in particular, built fortifications over a large area, including in the Red Forest, the dirtiest point in the zone. According to the head of GAZO Yevgeny Kramarenko, the risk of serious infection of the military and equipment from such actions is high. At the same time, according to him, during the retreat from Kyiv, Russian troops withdrew about 10,000 pieces of heavy equipment through Chernobyl, which, like the military, could also be contaminated with radiation when moving through dangerous territory. The movement of a large amount of military equipment provoked the rise of radiation dust and an increase in radiation in the zone.
According to the head of NAEK Energoatom Petr Kotin, in some places the radiation level was exceeded 50 times.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi will lead a team of experts who will visit the Chernobyl nuclear power plant next week, according to a statement posted on the organization’s website on Friday.
“International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will lead an expert mission to Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) next week to step up assistance to prevent the danger of a nuclear accident during the current conflict in the country,” the statement said.
It is noted that a group of IAEA employees will arrive in Chernobyl on April 26 to deliver the necessary equipment and conduct radiological and other surveys of the area.
In March, Grossi visited the South Ukrainian NPP, where he discussed IAEA assistance to Ukraine with the Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Galushchenko, the head of the nuclear regulator of Ukraine Oleg Korikov, the head of the State Enterprise NNEGC Energoatom Petr Kotin and the general director of the South Ukrainian NPP Igor Polovich. Then he noted, that the personal presence of IAEA specialists on the ground would help prevent the risk of a nuclear accident in the face of Russian military aggression, It was noted that such an accident could lead to serious consequences in the field of health and the environment both in Ukraine and abroad.
Ukraine has stopped power unit No. 1 of the Khmelnytsky NPP, which remained in operation after power unit No. 2 was taken out for repair, as a result of which only seven of the 15 existing power units are operating in the power system, the International Nuclear Energy Agency (IAEA) reported, citing the Ukrainian nuclear regulator SNRIU.
According to the IAEA’s daily report on Ukraine on its website late on Saturday evening, the agency explained the shutdown of the remaining power unit by taking it out for scheduled repairs.
“Seven reactors are operating in the country, including two at the Russian-controlled Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, three at the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant and two at the Yuzhno-Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant. Other reactors have been shut down for regular maintenance, including both units of the Khmelnytsky Nuclear Power Plant,” the statement said.
As reported, since February 18, KhNPP power unit No. 2 was shut down for scheduled preventive maintenance, lasting approximately 92 days.
According to the IAEA, power unit No. 2 of the Rivne NPP was recently put into repair, after which 8 out of 15 power units remained in operation.
Earlier, NNEGC Energoatom reported that three ZNPP power units were put into reserve after the station was occupied by Russian invaders, only one is under repair.
Khmelnytsky NPP consisting of two power units (VVER-1000) with a total capacity of 2000 MW is located in Netishyn (Khmelnytsky region).
In total, there are 15 power units in Ukraine equipped with water-cooled power reactors with a total installed electrical capacity of 13.835 GW.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi called Wednesday meetings with high-ranking representatives of the Ukrainian government at the South Ukrainian NPP (SUNPP) very productive and announced the imminent arrival of experts at Ukrainian nuclear facilities.
“Teams of experts and additional safety equipment will arrive at Ukraine’s nuclear facilities very soon,” he tweeted at the end of the day.
The daily report of the organization indicates that at meetings with the Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Galushchenko, the heads of the nuclear regulator of Ukraine SNRIU Oleg Korikov and NNEGC “Energoatom” Petr Kotin, as well as the director of the South Ukraine NPP Igor Polovich, specific steps were considered to provide urgent assistance to Ukraine in protecting its nuclear facilities.
As reported, on March 30, Grossi visited South Ukraine NPP, where he met with representatives of the Ukrainian side. At a meeting with plant workers, he noted that the issue of the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhya NPPs “needs to be considered at different levels,” and it depends on the ceasefire agreements.
Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi intends to arrive in Kyiv, Head of state-owned enterprise Energoatom Petro Kotin has said.
“But the date of the visit has not yet been set,” Kotin said on the air of the #UArazom (together) unity marathon.
He also said that Ukraine needs more active actions from the IAEA, in addition to the concerns expressed.
