Management of Europe's largest nuclear power plant under orders of Russia
Management of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant in southeastern Ukraine, Europe's largest nuclear power plant, is now operating under orders from the commander of the Russian forces that took control of the site last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Sunday.
IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi warned that the Russian takeover of the plant violates an indispensable pillar of nuclear safety in which operating staff must be able to fulfill their safety and security duties and make decisions free of undue pressure.
![International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, on screen, addresses the UN Security Council,March 4, 2022.The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency open meeting on the attack on Ukraine's largest nuclear power plant.](https://s.abcnews.com/images/International/un-security-council-ap-rc-220304_1646421840193_hpMain.jpg)
The IAEA also said it has been informed by Ukraine's nuclear regulator that Russian forces have switched off some mobile networks and the internet so that reliable information from the site cannot be obtained through normal channels of communication. The regulator told the IAEA that staff operating at Zaporizhzhya are having major problems communicating outside of the plant because phone lines, email service and fax machines are no longer functioning.
Despite the communication issues, the regulator was able to provide updated information about the operational status of the Zaporizhzhya plant, confirming radiation levels there remain normal.
"I'm extremely concerned about these developments that were reported to me today. Just a few days after I presented the seven main elements of nuclear safety and security to the IAEA Board, several of them are already being compromised," Grossi said. "In order to be able to operate the plant safely and securely, management and staff must be allowed to carry out their vital duties in stable conditions without undue external interference or pressure."
Grossi added, "The deteriorating situation regarding vital communications between the regulator and the Zaporizhzhya NPP is also a source of deep concern, especially during an armed conflict that may jeopardize the country’s nuclear facilities at any time. Reliable communications between the regulator and the operator are a critical part of overall nuclear safety and security."
The nuclear regulator also reported that it is having problems communicating with personnel at the decommissioned Chornobyl Nuclear Power plant, the site of a 1986 nuclear disaster, saying only email communication is possible for now. The staff of more than 200 technical personnel and guards have not been able to rotate since Feb 23.
ABC News' Christine Theodorou