The presence of IAEA inspectors at key nuclear power plant substations is important for ensuring nuclear and radiation safety. This was stated by the Minister of Energy of Ukraine Herman Halushchenko, UNN reports.
In the framework of the 68th IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Ukraine's Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko discussed with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi practical steps to expand the IAEA monitoring missions to all high-voltage substations that are the targets of Russian attacks and on which the safe operation of Ukrainian NPPs critically depends.
Galushchenko thanked the IAEA monitoring mission, which, following Rafael Grossi's recent visit to Ukraine, began work at one of the electrical substations that is key to the operation of the nuclear power plant and was damaged as a result of the Russian attack.
"By attacking substations critical to nuclear power plants, the Russians are seeking to achieve blackout of nuclear units and stop our nuclear generation. We thank the IAEA for its support and look forward to continuing monitoring missions at such facilities as soon as possible. This area of the Agency's work is important for ensuring nuclear and radiation safety," the Minister said.
Grossi reiterated the IAEA's readiness to continue such missions and assured that the agency would make every effort to avoid blackouts at Ukrainian NPPs.
Galushchenko called on the IAEA to further expand its assistance to Ukraine by assessing the safety of nuclear and radiation facilities, documenting operational events, and the consequences of potential and actual damage to the safety of nuclear power plants and technologically related infrastructure.
During the meeting, the parties paid special attention to the construction of power units 3 and 4 at Khmelnytskyi NPP. The IAEA expressed its readiness to provide technical assistance for the implementation of this project, the parameters of which are currently being discussed.