There is no reliable information on the condition of nuclear facilities at the Zaporizhzhya NPP site (ZNPP).
This was reported in the Telegram-channel of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU).
Currently, two ZNPP units are operating, one unit is under repair, and the rest are in reserve.
Regulatory supervision of nuclear and radiation safety directly on the site of the ZNPP and access of state inspectors of the SNRIU to the site is impossible.
“There is no reliable information on the condition of nuclear facilities at the NPP site. The SNRIU maintains contact with the ZNPP leadership,” the statement reads.
According to the ZNPP management:
- operational personnel continue to monitor the condition of power units and ensures their safe operation in accordance with the requirements of the operating documentation;
- NPP operation is carried out exclusively by ZNPP personnel, there is a constant rotation of personnel;
- No changes in the radiation levels at the NPP site, in the observation zone and in the sanitary protection zone were detected.
“ZNPP and the city of Energodar have been under the occupation of Russian military units since 4 March, 2022. "Besides the military of the aggressor country, the representatives of the Russian nuclear energy corporation Rosatom have been illegally present at the ZNPP site for a long time, and the purpose of their presence is unknown," the inspectorate added.
NPP personnel and their families are under constant psychological pressure due to the presence of hostile occupiers and military equipment on the site of the nuclear power plant and in the satellite city.
Cases of detention of NPP personnel by Russian invaders for interrogation have been recorded. "We emphasize that the psychological and physical pressure on NPP personnel and their families significantly increases the likelihood of personnel errors, which in turn can lead to emergencies and accidents," the statement said.
The Western European Nuclear Regulators' Association (WENRA), after analyzing the situation with the partial loss of external power supply to ZNPP due to hostilities in the region, warns of potential extremely negative consequences for the safety of nuclear facilities.