The IAEA Board of Governors should consider the state of execution of a number of resolutions: resolutions of the IAEA General Conference (adopted at the end of September 2023 at the IAEA General Conference in Vienna - GC (67)/ RES/16) and three resolutions of The IAEA Board of Governors (adopted last year - GOV/2022/17, GOV/2022/58, GOV/2022/71). This was announced by SNRIU Acting Chairman, Chief State Inspector for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of Ukraine Oleh Korikov during an online meeting with international partners on October 31, 2023.
“For twenty months, Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian aggression - an unprovoked military attack on a sovereign country. Twenty months Zaporizhzhya NPP remains under occupation of the Russian Federation, which grossly violates international law, standards and rules of nuclear safety and security”, said Oleh Korikov.
He stressed that the main damage and threat to nuclear safety and security at ZNPP is the result of irresponsible and unpredictable actions of the Russian invaders.
“The Russian occupation has led to a complete degradation of the emergency preparedness and response system, the destruction of supply chains, the lack of spare parts and materials, which is also confirmed by the experts of the IAEA permanent monitoring mission at ZNPP, serious degradation of equipment due to the lack of regular maintenance and repair”, SNRIU Acting Chairman added.
He also noted the inadmissibility of violations of the terms of licenses for the operating of reactor units of Zaporizhzhya NPP, which should be in cold shutdown, especially considering the lack of proper maintenance of NPP equipment and systems.
"In recent months, the occupation administration has violated licenses for the operation of reactor units 4, 5, 6, alternately moved them to hot shutdown. Also, I am really worried about the closing the reactor vessel of unit 3. According to SE «NNEGC «Energoatom» and SSTC NRS, such actions will negatively affect the nuclear safety of reactor unit 3 and reduce the time for switching unit 3 reactor to hot shutdown and critical state. In addition, the lack of planned maintenance, repair, spare parts, materials and qualified personnel is also causing concern. All these factors significantly increase the risk of equipment failure and can lead to the destruction of barriers to the spread of radiation into the environment”, said Oleh Korikov.
He also informed international partners about the consequences of explosions near the Khmelnitsky NPP, which occurred on October 25, 2023.
“This situation cannot continue. The occupiers must immediately withdraw their troops and other personnel from the sovereign territory of Ukraine, in particular from the site of ZNPP, and stop the terror. Therefore, I propose that The IAEA Board of Governors consider the state of implementation of the resolutions of The IAEA Board of Governors and the IAEA General Conference. It is also necessary to review the issue of restricting the rights and privileges of the Russian Federation in the IAEA”, summed up SNRIU Acting Chairman Oleh Korikov.
The online meeting was attended by representatives of the European Commission (EC), ENSREG, WENRA, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland (STUK), the Nuclear Safety Authority of France (ASN), the National Atomic Energy Agency of Poland (PAA), the State Office for Nuclear Safety of Czech Republic (SUJB).