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With the installation of the 25th RADNOTE fixed, autonomous, realtime radiation sensor unit in Pokrov, near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the first phase of a groundbreaking independent nationwide radiation monitoring network is now operational in Ukraine.
Tokyo, Japan (August 5, 2024)– Safecast and SaveDnipro began collaborating on providing independent radiation monitoring in Ukraine soon after the start of the Russian full- scale invasion in February, 2022. Their extremely successful #bgeigies4ukraine mobile radiation measurement project was begun in April, 2022, and by May, 2022, had obtained the first public post-invasion radiation survey data from the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). The innovative international collaboration then began planning a network of fixed, autonomous, realtime radiation sensors that could be deployed throughout the conflict zone. When completed, the network will consist of over 100 fixed, solar-powered, wireless RADNOTE monitors developed for Safecast by Blues Inc. The 25 RADNOTE units now deployed in the Kyiv Region, Chornobyl, Lviv Region, Cherkasy Region, Mykolaiv Region, and Dnipro Region complete the first phase of this network. The second phase of the deployment is now under way. The data can be viewed here. [1]
The goal of this project is to establish a robust, resilient, independent, and publicly available source of realtime radiation monitoring information for Ukraine. As has been proven by SAFECAST in Fukushima and elsewhere, if official monitoring systems function accurately and in a timely fashion, our independent data will serve as an important cross-check. Radiation protection experts throughout Ukraine and Europe rely on SaveDnipro’s SaveEcoBot website for quick access to trustworthy radiation data. This demonstrates that well-motivated and competent civil society projects can fill vital gaps in government-provided information. If official monitoring collapses as it did in Chornobyl at the start of the Russian invasion, then our system may be the only reliable information source available to the public.
Azby Brown, Safecast Lead Researcher, said: “We are addressing vulnerabilities we’ve seen in the official radiation monitoring systems in Ukraine and elsewhere, and will supplement official capabilities in a transparent way. As we learned following the Fukushima disaster in 2011, the public needs clear information about risks like those posed by the reckless Russian occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Official sources are usually unprepared to provide this, especially when stressed by conflict or disaster.”
Pavlo Tkachenko, technical director of SaveDnipro, said: “At the start of the Russian full-scale invasion we didn’t have much experience with citizen-science based radiation monitoring, and the nation had insufficient real-time data. Thanks to international support like SaveDnipro’s partnership with Safecast, our knowledge and our technical capabilities have grown immensely. Our ability to deploy RADNOTES is a prime example of this. Civil society organizations like SaveDnipro can often respond more rapidly and flexibly than authorities can, collecting data and deploying sensors in places they are unable to due to strict regulations. We consider it our duty to help the Ukrainian government ensure public safety in this difficult wartime situation.”
Azby Brown continued: “When we discovered SaveDnipro’s invaluable SaveEcoBot website in February 2022, which clearly and informatively displays radiation and other environmental data from every publicly available source in Ukraine, we immediately recognized that they share our outlook and values. We’ve been working together closely ever since.”
The RADNOTE realtime radiation monitor was developed for precisely this kind of scenario. It is produced for Safecast by Blues Inc, whose support made this project possible. Because it is solar-powered, RADNOTE is not vulnerable to the power outages that have knocked many official Ukrainian sensors offline during blackouts caused by Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. RADNOTE uses cellular wireless data transmission via the Blues Notecard, a revolutionary low-power cellular card designed specifically for IoT data applications. This eliminates any dependency on the vulnerable wired internet connections typically used for networked sensors. RADNOTE is rugged, weatherproof, and can be installed by volunteers in a few minutes.
Pieter Franken, Safecast Japan Director, said: “Over ten years of experience designing and deploying citizen-centered radiation monitoring systems in challenging disaster areas like Fukushima prepared us for this ambitious effort. Our projects are people-centered and volunteer-driven, and have set standards for openness and technical sophistication unimaginable in citizen-science initiatives just a few years ago.”
Pavlo Tkachenko continued: “Open data is an essential part of SaveDnipro’s mission. We are committed to open access to our monitoring data, even if government often is not. All of the data from sensors is free and open for access for everyone anywhere in the world.”
Ray Ozzie, Blues CEO, said: “We at Blues are committed to making the world a better and more connected place. We’re thrilled that our RADNOTE and NOTECARD technology is making this crucial open-data initiative possible.”
Over 100 RADNOTES have been built for use in Ukraine. Safecast and SaveDnipro’s deployment plan focuses on providing data from the areas near the country’s four nuclear power plants and in population centers. When the network is complete, RADNOTES will be deployed in each of Ukraine’s twenty-four oblasts (administrative regions), providing resilient monitoring capability for the entire country. The project is funded by donations.
From this point forward, the RADNOTE network will be rapidly expanded as volunteers step up to host the devices in needed areas. The project has also benefitted from the assistance of government officials who appreciate its value and have provided locations to mount sensors in some regions as well as logistical help. This unprecedented collaborative initiative is showing what can be achieved by concerned citizens who seek to assist each other in time of crisis.
This project is supported by donations. Additional funding is needed for mounting equipment, shipping costs, and technical support.
Our donation page is here. Our online store is here.
Ends.
Notes to editors
[1] https://www.saveecobot.com/en/platform/savednipro-and-safecast
More information here
Photos available here
SaveEcoBot website here
Safecast website here
Blues Inc. website here
Contacts:
Azby Brown, Safecast Lead Researcher; E: azby@safecast.org
Pavlo Tkachenko, Technical Director of SaveDnipro; E: pavlo@savednipro.org
Emma Wimberley, Blues Inc VP Marketing; E: ewimberley@blues.com
