PM Støre: Norway has stepped up its nuclear preparedness
Norway has stepped up preparedness in the last week due to the situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (AP) said.
“There is a very serious situation in Ukraine. For the first time, a military conflict is taking place in the middle of a large nuclear power plant,” Støre told NTB.
Earlier this week, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned of a potential major disaster at the nuclear power plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces since March.
“Playing with fire”
“We are playing with fire, and something very, very catastrophic could happen,” IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said.
On Friday, the IAEA sounded the alarm again about the nuclear power plant after a power cut.
“Attacks have caused a complete blackout in the town of Enerhodar and pose a safety hazard to the operation of the nearby Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant,” Grossi tweeted on Friday afternoon.
“Unsettling”
“The IAEA’s latest report is unsettling, and I fully understand that people find this frightening. There is a danger that emissions could occur as a result of the hostilities,” Støre said, recalling the Chernobyl accident in 1986.
“I notice that many people in Norway are worried, and I want to assure everyone that this is something we are following closely. The government and I have been keen to ensure that we have good (nuclear) preparedness. We have that. The Directorate for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (DSA) works on this every day and collaborates closely with all sectors,” he said.
Cooperation with other countries
“We also work closely with other countries and have made plans for what we can do. In addition, we are working with Ukraine to strengthen monitoring at the nuclear power plant,” he added.
Støre strongly encouraged Russia to withdraw its forces from the power plant.
According to Reuters, a draft resolution condemning Russia’s actions at Zaporizhzhia has been drafted, which could be adopted at an IAEA meeting next week.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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