IAEA confirms damage to Ukrainian substation
Attacks on Ukraine’s power grid pose ongoing risks to nuclear safety, warns Director General Rafael Grossi.
Image for illustrative purposes
Ukraine, Kyiv: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed damage to a key substation in Ukraine critical to nuclear safety, following recent military activity. An IAEA team visited the site to assess the impact, reporting a negative effect on the reliability of off-site power supply to Ukrainian nuclear power plants.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said: “Attacks on Ukraine’s power grid represent an ever-present danger to nuclear safety and security to all nuclear facilities in Ukraine.”
One nuclear power plant remains without one of its external power lines while repairs continue.
The IAEA had previously been informed of damage to multiple substations serving Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. Teams stationed at the South Ukraine and Khmelnitsky plants reported the loss of off-site power lines, while at Rivne plant, two reactor units reduced output at the request of the grid operator.
Grossi urged “maximum military restraint” near nuclear installations and renewed his call for adherence to the agency’s seven pillars of nuclear safety and security.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as Russian strikes targeting substations vital to nuclear safety. Meanwhile, the IAEA continues its assistance to Ukraine under the ISAMKO programme, delivering monitoring equipment, training, and medical and environmental support.
Since the start of the conflict, the IAEA has coordinated 169 deliveries of essential supplies to Ukrainian institutions, valued at more than $23 M (€20 M), with funding from Italy, Japan, and Sweden.
Source: Nuclear Engineering International
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