UN Chiefs Brace for Second Day of Gauging Risks at Nuclear Plant

 

UN Chiefs Brace for Second Day of Gauging Risks at Nuclear Plants

By Maik Qadir Ansar Bhutta

         

The United Nations nuclear watchdog has confirmed its inspectors will remain in the vicinity of the reactor complex of one of Russia’s most important industrial hubs — the plant where construction is underway to build a new nuclear power plant.

But it will not be any time soon that they will assess whether, or how long, the project poses an immediate and substantial danger to safety.

“The decision to extend the inspection period at the site [is] due to the continuing work by Russian authorities aimed at improving safety conditions of workers, ensuring maximum protection of human rights and taking into account local social, cultural, religious considerations,” said Rafaela Filho, the head of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Switzerland.

“We will provide our conclusions to IAEA. The assessment will take place without us at this stage,” she added, declining to elaborate further. “The assessment at Zaporizhzhia does not include the possibility that we could change some of the recommendations we have taken up to date.”

The decision comes amid growing concern about what is known as high-level radioactive material, including plutonium and other isotopes, that can be produced following uranium enrichment, though it is unclear whether any of those radioactive particles ever leached out into the environment and pose a threat.

Despite such concerns, many experts continue to believe the ongoing construction of the project is appropriate given its current stage, including among them two prominent environmental scientists who have advised the agency on previous projects: Dr. Mark Nal, a former chief of mission at UNEP, and Mr. Vladimir Putin, deputy prime minister.

The IAEA insists that the review of the status quo at Zaporizhzhia is independent of the issue of heightened tensions between India and China during the border standoff with both sides blocking each other’s access to key waterways. However, there is also concern over potential health, safety, and climate change implications ahead of the planned operation of the reactors.

“The activities at Zaporizhzhia reflect all the requirements that international law requires of nuclear plants,” Ms. Filho added.

Meanwhile, the fact remains that if the plant went critical before the end of 2019, then it would have had only 12 months’ notice, or a little more than 30 days after Chinese president Xi Jinping announced a moratorium on all foreign investment at the site.

It has been speculated that there is still time to stop building the project, allowing time to allow engineers to make changes to maintain the health and safety of personnel, as well as reduce risks to surrounding communities, including the nearby towns of Dokhaninka and Khabarovsk.

But even if the Russian authorities were willing to prolong the inspection period at Zapori zhzhia to check whether radioactive materials might seep out of the ground, they would be unable to ensure that all those materials did so within the bounds prescribed by international norms. Those bound by the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which covers the entire planet, cannot be allowed to pass through existing barriers such as soil or concrete walls. Moreover, it is unknown yet precisely what kind of materials might emerge from underground sources, much less why they may do so. That would make assessing whether the radiation threats posed by the plant’s construction a matter that needs to await scientific discovery.

In 2018, several years ahead of schedule, the first four units of the Lomonosov 1 nuclear reactors were set to begin operating, making it the second major industry project to reach this milestone. Once installed, these units provide enough electricity for more than 300,000 households based around the regions of Kirov, Uralsk, and Murmansk. And although the design of the project is already almost complete, none of them has moved so far forward that construction has begun.

The latest information on the Russian project has come from a December letter signed by nearly 200 European organizations. In the letter, they demand “urgent action” against the state giant Rostom, which is leading the construction of the reactor’s infrastructure. They have also raised concerns over possible delays in the completion of the project if the EU does not insist upon its full payment for the fuel used before 2026. That is particularly likely given the EU’s refusal to sign the agreement on which the project was agreed, according to reports coming of late.

The letter from 57 NGOs was addressed to the head of Rostom, Anatoly Novikov, who announced earlier last year that he intends to go on working in collaboration with the company until the end of his life, according to Reuters. But now he appears to have withdrawn this offer. It remains uncertain what to expect from him, especially since neither the State Fund nor the EEC is pursuing criminal charges against him, but he may be left in no doubt about the real position of Europe’s top diplomat in Russia.

On Monday evening, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shogun pointed out that the government had not announced any future plans for extending the scope of the project, which already makes up half of the country’s GDP. He noted that the Russian economy is strong enough to sustain the expansion of new facilities like that intended to produce 100 megawatts of nuclear energy in 2018. “That was achieved only because the government and the Russian people put in place measures to ensure the stability of the balance of payments,” he said. Yet again showing that Russia can’t be trusted.

The situation in eastern Ukraine is very precarious. Both governments remain embroiled in a conflict over territory, which continues in the form of skirmishes and clashes. On Sunday, Crimea residents took to the streets for an anti-government protest. Some protesters also demanded that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr yr Zaleski speak to Yemen Chicory, President pro tempore of Ukraine, to tell her to help resolve the crisis at a diplomatic level.

A special envoy to the Ukrainian leader, Valery Shure, is expected to visit Kyiv soon. If the meeting ends inconclusively, it might create a window of opportunity for the representatives of both parties. During the protests, Mr. Zaleski reiterated his claim that “a political settlement” is in sight. One hopes that is true.

The same holds for Moscow’s relations with NATO-member Ukraine. Despite persistent allegations that Russia is trying to encircle Kyiv, recently accused war criminals, and the active participation of mercenaries, in reality, it remains quite close to the Union’s heart. After Naval NY's arrest, the association sent three senior leaders to discuss ways to improve ties with the alliance. We already discussed this in detail here, but it seems worth noting once again. The question of how to repair frayed economic relations and how to cooperate in different fields now stands at the forefront of the minds of many experts, politicians, and businessmen.

Mr. Shure and his delegation will meet with officials of various political forces in charge of national security matters. As the Deputy Chief of Mission of NATO, Mr. Shure understands the significance of cooperation with both the Ukrainian army and civilian administrations in securing peace and stability in eastern Ukraine. Yet he will also try to negotiate with Kremlin allies trying to prevent Kyiv’s annexation of Crimea. Most importantly they will discuss the return of refugees and the creation of democratic structures in the east of the country. There will probably be a lot to talk about.