‘No critical impact’ to Chernobyl safety, says IAEA after warnings of nuclear leak

Following warnings from Ukraine‘s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and the country’s security and intelligence services of a possible radiation leak after the plant was disconnected from the state’s power grid, the International Energy Agency said there had been “no critical impact” on Chernobyl’s safety.

Also read: Chernobyl captured: Why a defunct nuclear plant is key to Putin’s endgame

The warnings were sent in response to allegations from Ukraine’s energy operator Ukrenergo and state-owned nuclear business Energoatom that Chernobyl‘s power had been “fully disconnected,” threatening cooling systems critical to averting a “nuclear discharge.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated in a tweet Wednesday that it had been told by Ukraine that Chernobyl had lost electricity, but that it observed “no critical impact” on the plant’s safety.

Also read: Amazon slammed for selling T-shirts featuring pro-Russian invasion ‘Z’ symbol

“IAEA says heat load of spent fuel storage pool and volume of cooling water at #Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant sufficient for effective heat removal without need for electrical supply,” it added. 

Ukraine’s foreign minister echoed Energoatom’s worries, claiming that Chernobyl had “lost all electric supply” and urging the world community to insist that Russia “ceasefire” in order for “repair units to restore energy.”

“Reserve diesel generators have a 48-hour capacity to power the Chornobyl NPP. After that, cooling systems of the storage facility for spent nuclear fuel will stop, making radiation leaks imminent,” Kuleba tweeted on Wednesday. 

Also read: Explained: What does Poland’s MiG 29 offer to Ukraine entail?

Ukraine’s technical security and intelligence service mirrored Kuleba’s concerns, saying that “all nuclear facilities” in the Chernobyl exclusion zone were powerless, and that if the pumps could not be cooled, a “nuclear discharge” may occur.

Neither Kuleba nor the intelligence service commented on whether the diesel generators could be kept running for more than 48 hours.

Also read: IAEA loses remote contact with Chernobyl, heightens safeguard concerns

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Tuesday that it had lost communication with remote data transmission from Chernobyl’s safeguards monitoring equipment.

In a statement issued Tuesday, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated his willingness to visit to Chernobyl and voiced worry for the nuclear plant’s personnel.