Ukraine today informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that while private personnel continued to operate the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), the plant is now under the command of the commander of the Russian armed forces that took control of the site last week.. Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said from Vienna.
“Ukraine further reports that any action taken by the plant management – including actions related to the technical operation of the six reactor units – is subject to the prior approval of the Russian commander.”
The Director-General expressed his grave concern about this development, as it contradicts one of the seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety and security that he outlined at the 2 March meeting of the IAEA Governing Council on the safety, security and security implications of the situation in Ukraine. .
The Director-General of the Nuclear Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, is deeply concerned. † © Environmental Protection Agency
One of the pillars is that “the operating crew must be able to perform their safety and security duties and be able to make decisions without undue pressure.”
The connection is disabled
“Ukraine also reported that Russian forces at the site had disabled some mobile phone networks and the Internet, so that reliable information from the site could not be obtained through normal communication channels,” the nuclear agency’s chief executive said.
This was confirmed by the Ukrainian nuclear regulator, who told the IAEA today that he began to encounter major problems in communicating with workers at the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant.
I am deeply concerned about these developments that you have reported to me today. Just a few days after I presented the seven key elements of nuclear safety and security to the IAEA Board of Directors, many of them have already been compromised. In order for the plant to operate safely and securely, management and employees must be able to perform their essential tasks in stable conditions without undue interference or pressure from outside,” said General Manager Grossi.
natural radiation level
Despite the communication difficulties, the regulator was able to provide updated information on the operational status of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant and confirm that radiation levels there remained normal. Of the six reactors, the first unit is scheduled for maintenance until mid-2022, the second unit is now operating at full capacity, the third unit is in a cold shutdown state, the fourth unit is almost fully operational, and the fifth unit is cooling off in the cold state. Reserve condition and unit 6 in cold shutdown position.
A positive development was that the plant’s operational teams are now working in three shifts. But there were problems with the availability and delivery of food, which negatively affected the morale of the staff.”
General Manager Grossi has repeatedly emphasized the importance of allowing operating personnel to rest in order to safely perform their important duties.
