IAEA inspects Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant
IAEA conducted an inspection at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have inspected the State Specialized Enterprise Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP), according to the press service of the State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation of Ukraine.
The inspection at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant was carried out within the framework of the agreement between Ukraine and the IAEA related to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
The inspection at ChNPP by the IAEA took place from January 31 to February 2 with the participation of an inspector from the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate.
Purpose of the inspection
The purpose of the respective IAEA inspections is to verify the absence of undeclared nuclear materials and information on the design of the nuclear facility, which Ukraine has provided under the Agreement, as explained by the regulatory authority. The inspection was carried out without any observations, according to the statement from the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate.
Situation at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant
Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the exclusion zone were under Russian occupation from the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine until March 31, 2022.
Ukrainian defense forces liberated the Chornobyl zone on April 2, 2022. During the occupation, the Russian military damaged and looted measuring equipment, as well as telecommunication, computer, and office equipment.
Earlier in October of the previous year, the Joint Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that a repeat invasion by Russian occupiers from Belarus through the Chornobyl zone was currently unlikely. However, there is still some residual danger in that direction.
IAEA in Ukraine
After the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) established permanent representations at all Ukrainian nuclear power plants. Experts continuously monitor their condition and safety standards.
However, the Russian military hinders the work of the IAEA mission at the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Recently, the Agency announced that IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi plans to visit Kyiv and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is occupied by Russians and where new mines were discovered on January 20.
The IAEA has repeatedly found anti-personnel mines on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Earlier, Ukrainian Minister of Energy, Herman Halushchenko, reported that they could explode at any moment.
