The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency will travel to Ukraine next week to deploy safety experts at all of the country’s nuclear power plants.
“Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will be in Ukraine next week to establish an ongoing nuclear safety and security specialist in all of the country’s nuclear power plants. which significantly enhances the efforts of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to help prevent nuclear accidents during the current military conflict,” according to a statement by the United Nations nuclear watchdog.
while Russia controls Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant An IAEA team member is already in place. Experts will be stationed at the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant in western Ukraine in “In the next few days,” the IAEA said, Grossi would travel to the southern Ukrainian nuclear power plant and Rivne, as well as to the Chernobyl site. To establish the task of two IAEA members at each site.
Grossi will meet with top Ukrainian government officials in Kyiv to discuss the establishment. demanding over and over again Nuclear security and defense zones around Zaporizhzhia, Kiev accused Russia of using the plant as a cover to launch attacks. knowing that Ukraine cannot fire back without risking attacking one of the plant’s six reactors. meanwhile Moscow claims that Ukrainian troops are targeting the facility.
“I remain committed to making the much-needed protection zone a reality as soon as possible. My consultations with Ukraine and Russia have made some progress, although not as quickly as they should have. I still hope that we will be able to agree and implement the district soon,” Grossi said.
According to the statement, the remaining 330 kV backup power lines of the Zaporizhzhia plant have been reconnected to the plant. After experiencing disconnection last week
Grossi also “reiterated his serious concerns about the pressures ZNPP officials are facing, the potential implications for nuclear safety and security,” according to the statement.
“The declining level of ZNPP staff, combined with the psychological strain due to the ongoing military conflict. and the absence of family members fleeing the area. created an unprecedented situation. which NPP officials should not have to suffer,” he said.
