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Posted On

04
May
2022

Nuclear regulator suspends number of licenses of Chornobyl NPP, company considers this unreasonable

KYIV. May 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine on April 26, 2022, suspended a number of licenses of the state specialized enterprise Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), the state-owned enterprise reported on its Facebook page.

In particular, the matter concerns licenses for the right to carry out activities at the stage of the life cycle of "decommissioning" Chornobyl power units Nos. 1-3, the right to carry out activities "processing, storage of radioactive waste" of a number of plants and installations, as well as the right to carry out activities for use of sources of ionizing radiation.

According to the enterprise, the watchdog justifies this decision by the fact that after a long occupation by the troops of the Russian Federation, Chornobyl nuclear power plant cannot comply with the conditions for conducting the above activities established by the norms and rules for nuclear and radiation safety.

"In my opinion, revoking the licenses of the enterprise that, even during the period of occupation, managed to ensure safety at the industrial site and retained full control over nuclear installations, nuclear materials and radioactive waste, is an unjustified decision that destabilizes the operation of the enterprise included in the list of strategic objects of our state or deliberate sabotage. I have already given instructions for the preparation of appropriate explanations," acting director general of the plant Valeriy Seida said.

"We are confident that the licenses will be renewed after the plant provides the regulator with justifications confirming the absence of violations that could become the basis for terminating these licenses. The plant will provide evidence that the enterprise is able to comply with the conditions for carrying out activities established by the rules and regulations for nuclear and radiation safety," Ihor Khomiak, the head of the licensing department, said.

As reported, the occupying Russian troops left the Chornobyl zone on March 31 after a five-week stay in it since the capture at the beginning of the war on February 24.