IAEA director general planning to visit Chernobyl NPP in late April

KYIV. April 20 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Ukraine has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that direct communications between the Ukrainian State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) had been restored.

"It is very good news that the regulator can now contact the plant directly when it needs to," the IAEA quoted Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi as saying in its daily statement.

"The Director General plans to head a mission of IAEA experts to the Chernobyl site later this month to conduct nuclear safety, security and radiological assessments, deliver vital equipment and repair the Agency's remote safeguards monitoring systems there," the statement said.