ZNPP. Photo by Ukrenergo

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At Zaporizhzhya NPP , which is under the control of the Russian occupiers, there is no emergency response, no qualified personnel, no early warning and radiation monitoring systems, no stable external power supply and no maintenance of systems. The intention to launch the units is an attempt of nuclear terror , said Oleh Korikov, SNRIU Chairman - Chief State Inspector for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of Ukraine, during a speech at the ,

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He emphasized that under such conditions, the operation of ZNPP at power levels is not possible, and any statements and comments on the intentions and methods of "restarting" the power units are speculative.

"At present, any attempts to "restart" ZNPP and resume electricity production should be assessed as an act of nuclear terror that may well lead to catastrophic consequences for the whole world", SNRIU Chairman emphasized.

See also
Nuclear power plants are the new rare earths. What are the prospects for returning Zaporizhzhia NPP to Ukraine

Korikov emphasized that the Russian military, which is stationed at ZNPP, continues to militarize the plant. He also drew attention to the obstacles to the work of the IAEA mission operating at the plant: the occupiers block access to equipment, prohibit communication with staff and do not provide full information about the state of the facilities.

"Blocking the rotation of IAEA experts at ZNPP for 80 days is an outright pressure and an attempt to force the Agency to act through the occupied territories. It is a demonstration of contempt for the international UN institution," Korikov said and called on international partners to take a principled, consolidated position and use the tools of political and economic pressure on Russia.

He also mentioned a drone strike on the confidentiality of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant Shelter on February 14.

Background
INRA is a forum of nuclear regulators established in 1997. It includes regulators from Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.
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  • The city of Enerhodar in Zaporizhzhia region and the nearby Zaporizhzhia NPP have been occupied by the Russian Federation since March 2022. Before the occupation, Zaporizhzhia NPP produced up to 20% of all electricity in Ukraine. For all three years, the plant has not been supplying electricity to the grid, and the Ministry of Energy estimates that it will take years to restart all six power units of the Zaporizhzhia NPP after it returns from occupation. The minister in charge stated that even one power unit would be difficult to launch due to technical reasons
Zaporizhia NPP