Atomic Energy Agency is concerned
Connection to another nuclear power plant in Ukraine breaks off
3/10/2022 5:03 am
After Russia captures Chernobyl, data transmission from the nuclear ruins is cut off. The International Atomic Energy Agency gives the all-clear: a power failure is said to be responsible. But now she is also losing contact with Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, Zaporizhia.
After Chernobyl, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also lost contact with the largest European nuclear power plant in Ukraine, Zaporizhia. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi announced that the data connection to the monitoring devices in Zaporizhia had failed. Russian troops had attacked and taken Zaporizhia last week. A fire broke out on the power plant site.
The reason for the disconnection is still unclear, the authority said. The IAEA had previously warned that it had lost contact with the surveillance systems in the Chernobyl nuclear ruins, which were also captured by Russian troops. The authorities later announced that they had received information from Ukraine that there had been a power outage. She sees “no critical impact on security in this case”.
However, the loss of connectivity to the two nuclear sites is worrying. “Long-distance transmission of data from the IAEA surveillance facilities at nuclear sites around the world is an important part of our surveillance efforts,” said Grossi. The data lines “enable us to monitor nuclear material and activities at these sites when our inspectors are not present.”
Grossi also stated that Turkey invited him to the meeting of foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine in Antalya. “I hope that we will make progress on the urgent issue of ensuring the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities,” he wrote on Twitter.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has been concerned about developments in Zaporizhia for several days. Ukraine has said that the nuclear power plant will continue to be operated by regular personnel, but that the plant management will be under the command of a commander of the Russian armed forces. According to Grossi, the commander’s approval is required for all measures in connection with the technical operation of the six reactor blocks. This contradicts the safety concept of nuclear power plants.