IAEA: "Communication Lost with Remote Monitoring System at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that the remote monitoring system communication checking the status of nuclear materials at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, occupied by Russian forces, has been cut off following the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Although the exact cause has not yet been identified, concerns about nuclear material leakage are reportedly increasing.

According to the Associated Press on the 9th (local time), Rafael Grossi, IAEA Director General, stated in a press release that "We are concerned about the sudden interruption of nuclear material-related data transmission from the two nuclear power plants occupied by Russian forces to the IAEA headquarters," warning that "a large amount of nuclear material exists at both sites in the form of spent nuclear fuel or fresh nuclear fuel."

He added, "The cause of the communication cut-off in the remote monitoring system at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is not yet clear," but confirmed that "data transmission from three other nuclear power plants operating in Ukraine and other nuclear facilities is proceeding without disruption." Earlier, the Ukrainian government announced that the power connection to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant had been cut off, but the IAEA stated that the spent nuclear fuel is being safely cooled.

The IAEA also explained that it was confirmed that the cooling system was damaged at the transformer of Unit 6 of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and is undergoing emergency repairs, and that the operator of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant reported that out of four external high-voltage power lines, two were damaged, leaving only two operational. Consequently, concerns about nuclear material leakage are reportedly increasing.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power plant complex in Europe as a single site and was occupied by Russian forces after fierce fighting on the 4th. During this process, part of the reactor 1 containment chamber was damaged by Russian shelling, and a fire broke out in a five-story training building outside the plant complex.

As concerns about nuclear material leakage grow, the IAEA has requested a tripartite meeting with delegations from Ukraine and Russia. The IAEA delegation, including Director General Grossi, is scheduled to meet with the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Russia on the 10th in Antalya, Turkey.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.