Ukraine wants large amount of equipment for its nuclear power plants, IAEA says

A view shows a damaged building at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant compound, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in Enerhodar, Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, in this handout picture released March 17, 2022. Press service of National Nuclear Energy Generating Company Energoatom/Handout via REUTERS

April 23 (Reuters) – Ukraine has asked the International Atomic Energy Agency for “a comprehensive list of equipment” it needs to operate nuclear power plants during the war with Russia, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said on Saturday.

This includes radiation measurement devices, protective material, computer-related assistance, power supply systems and diesel generators, he said in a statement.

“We will coordinate the implementation of the assistance that the IAEA and its member states will provide, including by delivering required equipment directly to Ukraine’s nuclear sites,” he said.

“The needs are great and I’m very grateful for the considerable support that our Member States have already indicated they will make available.”

Ukraine has 15 operational reactors at four plants of which seven are currently connected to the grid, including two at the Zaporizhzhia facility which is currently controlled by Russia.

Grossi said the IAEA was still not receiving remote data transmission from its monitoring systems installed at the defunct Chornobyl plant.

Next week Rossi is due to visit the power station, which Russian forces occupied soon after invading Ukraine but left on March 31. He said he would hand over radiation monitoring equipment as well as personal protective equipment.

Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Daniel Wallis

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