On 6th of July, the Chornobyl NPP received the formal approval of the permanent change of its affiliation to the WANO Paris Centre. Previously, from the time of the WANO establishment in 1989, ChNPP was affiliated to the Moscow Regional Centre.
The World Association of Nuclear Operators (hereinafter — WANO) was created after the Chornobyl accident. The WANO mission is to maximise the safety and reliability of nuclear power plants worldwide.
“We consider the WANO membership important first of all because it gives us the opportunity of the common support, exchange of information and use of positive experience of other NPPs worldwide” — says Deputy Head of the ChNPP International Cooperation and Information Department Valentyna Odynytsia.
There are several WANO Regional Centres: in Atlanta (USA), Paris (France), Tokyo (Japan) and Moscow (RF), and a Central Office in London (UK). Principle of the member affiliation to the Regional Centres is mainly geographical. The ChNPP geographically belonged to the area of the Moscow Centre activity, as well as nuclear power plants of Lithuania, Bulgaria, Armenia, Hungary, Czech Republic and other countries.
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The full-scale aggression of russia that started on 24 February 2022, seizure of Chornobyl NPP by the russian forces — all this make impossible any prospect of the further affiliation to the WANO Moscow Center. Moreover, the Moscow Center did not issue any statement to condemn the russian nuclear terrorism in Ukraine. It was the last argument to address the WANO Central Office in London and request the ultimate rupture of relations with the Moscow Center and affiliation the WANO Paris Centre.
The Chornobyl NPP will continue its membership in WANO, take part in expert exchanges, share and learn the experience within the WANO activities.