Viana, 23 April 2022 (TDI): The Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Marino Grossi, will head an expert assistance mission to the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) on the 26th of April.
The assistance mission aims to prevent any associated dangers of nuclear accidents amid war in the country. The team will deliver the necessary equipment and conduct radiological and other assessments at NPP. The site was under Russian forces before they withdrew on March 31st.
“The IAEA’s presence at Chornobyl will be paramount for our activities to support Ukraine. It seeks to restore regulatory control of the plant and ensure its safe and secure operation,” he remarked.
The organization aims to visit other nuclear facilities in Ukraine in the coming weeks. Earlier, the Director-General visited South Ukrainian NPP to implement an assistance initiative at the facility.
Proposed activities of the mission:
IAEA safeguards experts will repair remote safeguards monitoring systems installed at the NPP to resume data transmission to the Agency’s headquarters in Vienna.
IAEA aims to provide the operators with personal protective equipment (PPE), radiation monitoring equipment, radionuclide and gamma dosimeters, etc.
Background of assistance mission:
The IAEA Director-General has repeatedly expressed his concern over the safety and security of the nuclear facilities of Ukraine during the time of conflict. He also stressed adhering to seven indispensable pillars for ensuring safety and protection during assistance missions. The integrity of the pillars of the site’s physical integrity, the staff’s ability to operate under pressure, and access to off-site power have been compromised repeatedly over the last two months.
“Based on our scientific measurements and technical evaluations, we will better understand the radiological situation there,” Director General Grossi said.
Ukraine has taken significant steps to ensure safe and secure operations at Chornobyl, where numerous waste management facilities are located. Earlier, the country carried out its first staff rotation in three weeks. It also re-established direct communication with nuclear regular, which was down for more than a month.
The DirectorGeneral will meet the staff of the NPP to appreciate their resilience, determination, and courage in implementing their duties at the time of conflict.
“I look forward to talking to the staff and expressing my deep gratitude for everything they have achieved during such immensely stressful and challenging conditions. They have been through more than we can imagine, and they deserve our full respect and admiration for preserving the safety and security of the site despite the dire situation,” he said.
IAEA has set up clear assistance missions for the safety and security of fifteen nuclear plants at four sites in Ukraine in close coordination with the country’s government.
