IAEA restores remote transmission of safeguards data from Ukraine's Chernobyl plant

Remote transmission of safeguards data from the war-inflicted Ukraine’s Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) to the International Atomic Energy Agency has been “fully re-established,” Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, informed on Thursday, May 12. This could be made possible after the restoration of the new transmission channels based on satellite technologies and other technical work during Grossi’s visit as well as the trip of the safeguards inspectors and technicians to the Chernobyl NPP on 26-27 April, last month, the atomic agency informed in a statement. 

“This is the first time that remote data from all sites where such systems are in place in Ukraine, including all nuclear power plants and associated spent fuel storage facilities, has been transferred in full to the IAEA Headquarters since the two months interruption at the Chernobyl NPP,” IAEA informed on May 12. 

'Very important and significant' step to implement safeguards

Director-General Grossi labelled the latest development as a “very important and significant” step to implement safeguards in Ukraine. However, he also reminded that implementing safeguards also includes in-field verification activities, which, according to him, could be challenging at this time due to the heavy presence of the Russian troops and Rosatom personnel at Zaporizhzhya NPP. “I have therefore proposed to lead a visit to Zaporizhzhya NPP, including safeguards inspectors and nuclear safety and security experts, after the necessary consultations and at the earliest possible opportunity,” Grossi said. 

There were no significant developments related to nuclear safety and security near the nuclear plant, Ukraine separately informed the IAEA on May 12. Of the total 15 operational reactors at four NPPs, currently, over seven are connected to the grid, Ukraine's government informed the international atomic agency. At least two have been connected at the Rivne NPP, two at the South Ukraine NPP, and one at the Khmelnytskyy NPP. The eight other reactors are shut down for regular maintenance or held in reserve.

Earlier last month, IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi led a mission to the Chernobyl Power Plant to step up efforts to help prevent the dangers of a nuclear accident amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. IAEA's mission delivered the vital equipment and conducted radiological and other assessments at the site. The site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power plant, was under Russian occupation for five weeks before they handed it over to Ukrainian troops. IAEA Director-General Grossi had expressed "grave concerns" regarding the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear facility which, he had said, posed danger to the safety of the world. 

Late in March, Ukrainian officials had demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Chernobyl area warning that ammunition could explode. Ukraine’s deputy PM Iryna Vereshchuk urged the UN Security Council to immediately take measures to demilitarise the exclusion zone near Chernobyl. Later, citing the reason for withdrawal from the Chernobyl area, Moscow said that its troops received “significant doses" of radiation from digging trenches in the forest in the exclusion zone around the closed plant.