Radiation monitoring station near Russia-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant destroyed – IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported that an external radiation monitoring station was destroyed by attacks and fire this week. 

Source: IAEA

Details: IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi noted that this further reduced the effectiveness of the ability to detect and measure any radioactive emissions during emergencies.

The statement noted that the station was located about 16 kilometres from Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP).

The IAEA also added that 4 of the 14 stations that were in operation before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine are currently operating.

Quote from the IAEA: "The latest incident came just a few days after a 16-hour loss of power in the nearby city of Enerhodar – home to most ZNPP staff – had caused a temporary halt in the operation of some of the environmental radiological monitoring stations after they ran out of back-up battery."

Quote from Grossi: "The loss of one radiation monitoring station does not have a direct impact on safety at the ZNPP, but it forms part of a continuous erosion of a range of safety measures during the war that remains a deep source of concern."

Details: The report also said that the ZNPP continued to face other challenges related to nuclear safety during the war.

In particular, IAEA experts heard explosions at a certain distance from the plant during most days last week.

Background:

The joint communiqué of the Peace Summit includes a clause in which the participating countries agree that Ukraine should control the ZNPP under the IAEA supervision.

The IAEA and Russia agreed that restarting the occupied ZNPP was neither expedient nor safe under current circumstances.

Prior to that, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin announced to the IAEA plans to "restart" ZNPP operations.

Due to the incompetence of the personnel recruited by the Russians, the necessary repairs and inspections are not being carried out as they should be at the ZNPP.

The Russian-occupied ZNPP does not have licensed personnel to put it back into operation, and amateur activity by Russian specialists at the plant could lead to a nuclear incident.

Energoatom said the loss of the Kakhovka reservoir, the lack of power grids, and the lack of personnel prevent the Russians from restarting the ZNPP.

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