The Ukrainian delegation led by Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko within the framework of the 67th session of the IAEA General Conference held a meeting with representatives of Canada – Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Troy Lulashnyk and President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Rumina Velshi.
President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Rumina Velshi assured that Canada would help Ukraine restart Zaporizhzhia NPP after its deoccupation.
She also said that Canada would continue to support Ukraine and provide equipment to replace damaged ones in case russia shells Ukraine's energy infrastructure again.
Herman Halushchenko informed attendees about the current situation at the ZNPP and emphasized the threats that the russians could create during the de-occupation of the power plant. He noted that the experience of the spring of 2022, when the russian military was stationed at the Chornobyl NPP, and then had to leave it, testifies to the complete leveling of the bases of nuclear and radiation safety by the invaders.
"Everything that the russians cannot take with them, they simply destroy and disable. Therefore, it is important to create an international group of experts who, together with the IAEA, will assess the situation at the ZNPP after its deoccupation: what is the condition of the equipment, whether nuclear safety rules are being followed and what are the prospects for the plant's further operation. This is not a question of russia's war against Ukraine, it is a question of global nuclear security," Herman Halushchenko said.
Energoatom’s President Petro Kotin noted that Ukrainian NPPs are completing repair work in order to operate all units located on the Ukraine-controlled territory in the autumn-winter period.
"Ukrainian nuclear workers are returning units to the power system ahead of schedule in order to keep a balance and provide Ukrainians with stable and clean electricity," Petro Kotin said.
During the meeting, the importance of implementing the Peace Formula proposed by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in cooperation with the IAEA was also highlighted.
