According to Ukrainian information, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA/IAEA) has resumed contact with Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhya. The connection between the data servers in Zaporizhzhya and the IAEA has been “restored”, the Ukrainian nuclear energy agency Energoatom announced on Saturday evening in the Telegram message service. The IAEA later confirmed the information on Twitter.
“Thanks to the joint efforts” of Energoatom and the mobile network operator Vodafone, it was possible to restore data transmission. Vodafone has a contract with the IAEA to transmit data from Zaporizhzhya. Since the end of May, all data is stored on secure servers and immediately transferred to the IAEA after connection is restored, Energoatom said.
IAEA: Transfer not enough ‘to verify nuclear material’
The IAEA said the connection was restored on Sunday “after a technical outage lasting nearly two weeks”. “Nevertheless, the long-distance transmission does not replace the regular physical presence of the IAEA inspectors in the power plants to check the nuclear material,” emphasized IAEA chief Rafael Grossi. He wants to “continue his efforts” to send an inspection team to Zaporizhzhya as soon as possible.
The Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has been occupied by Russian troops since early March, who took over the plant just days after they began invading Ukraine. In 2021, the power plant contributed about a fifth of electricity production in Ukraine.
Authority warns of increased risk of accidents
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi had already described the situation on the ground as “unsustainable”. For example, important maintenance work on the nuclear power plant is constantly postponed and essential equipment is not delivered, leading to an increased risk of accidents.
The Ukrainian government has refused to allow IAEA representatives to visit as long as the nuclear power plant is occupied by Russian troops. Such a visit will not be possible until Ukraine regains control of the factory, Energoatom said last week. Ukraine’s nuclear agency argued that a visit by IAEA experts “could legitimize the presence of the occupiers”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
