Oleh Korikov, the head of Ukraine’s Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, says Ukraine does not have access to information on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant’s current technical state, according to the “We Are Ukraine” channel.
The nuclear plant has been occupied by the Russian military since the early days of the war. The occupiers have not conducted necessary repairs and inspections at the plant, and the hired employees are not professional enough to maintain the station, say Ukrainian officials. Moreover, Russia turned it into a military base and a tool for blackmailing Ukraine and Western countries.
“Now, we lack detailed information about the technical state of the equipment and safety systems at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, including its pipelines, machinery, mechanisms, and pumping equipment,” Korikov explained.
He expressed concerns over the occupying administration’s non-compliance with safety regulations and insufficient plant maintenance. Korikov stressed that as long as Russian occupiers neglect crucial works as long the station will be unprotected and will pose a threat to the entire world.
Adding to the challenge, the radiation monitoring system at the Zaporizhzhia plant does not transmit data online to Energoatom, the state nuclear energy company, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. The system, which consists of 18 stations, has four stations currently out of order.
“This hampers our ability to monitor the radiation rate at the Zaporizhzhia plant and the surrounding area,” emphasized Korikov.
Despite some sensors located in Ukraine-controlled territory providing online information, the inaccessibility of the stationary monitoring system means that up-to-date information on the radiation situation at the plant is unavailable to the international community.
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