Replace 313 – IAEA Director General Statement on State of affairs in Ukraine

IAEA groups in Ukraine reported listening to explosions and different indications of intense navy exercise in a single day, additional heightening considerations in regards to the risks to nuclear security and safety in the course of the armed battle, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi stated immediately.

Coinciding with reviews of widespread assaults within the nation’s west, IAEA group members deployed at two of Ukraine’s working nuclear energy crops (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy and Rivne – heard drones in addition to bursts of gunfire whereas of their lodging within the cities of Netishyn and Varash, each situated just some kilometres from the 2 respective crops.

While there have been no reviews of any direct influence on nuclear security and safety on the two websites, Director General Grossi harassed that any navy exercise within the neighborhood of an NPP might put it in danger and may stop instantly.

“I’m deeply concerned about last night’s events. According to our teams on the ground, these were unusually large-scale military activities close to these two nuclear power plants, which should never happen. Once again, I reiterate my call for maximum military restraint near such facilities. A severe nuclear accident would be in no one’s interest and must be avoided at all cost,” he stated.

Following up this morning, the IAEA group on the Khmelnytskyy NPP was knowledgeable that the plant in a single day detected 9 drones flying as shut as three kilometres from the location, whereas the Rivne NPP stated it noticed 13 such unmanned aerial automobiles in its surveillance space. This comes per week after the group at Rivne beforehand heard navy exercise from their lodge, which till now has been uncommon.

Director General Grossi stated such navy exercise within the proximity of NPPs posed a menace to the Seven Indispensable Pillars for making certain nuclear security and safety throughout an armed battle that he outlined in March 2022, particularly Pillar 1 on the bodily integrity of nuclear amenities and Pillar 3 relating to the protection of working workers.

“The world’s attention has – rightly – been very much focused on the extremely challenging situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) located on the frontline. However, the nuclear safety and security situation remains extremely vulnerable also at the four other sites where we have teams, as demonstrated all too clearly last night,” he stated.

Earlier this week, Director General Grossi briefed the IAEA Board of Governors on the nuclear security and safety state of affairs in Ukraine, highlighting continued dangers in the course of the battle.

“The safety situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant remains precarious, with six of the Seven Pillars compromised,” he instructed the Board in his introductory assertion on Monday. “Ongoing military activity, including attacks very close to the ZNPP site, are deeply concerning, adding stress and risk.”

This was additionally underlined by the IAEA group members deployed on the ZNPP, reporting listening to navy actions on most days over the previous week. They additionally visited a reactor unit to look at safety-related upkeep actions in addition to the 750 kilovolt (kV) switchyard. However, they weren’t granted entry to the location’s diesel gasoline storage to verify the diesel volumes out there there, with the ZNPP citing safety considerations.

At the Chornobyl website, Director General Grossi knowledgeable the Board that three of the Seven Pillars stay compromised following February’s drone strike on the New Safe Confinement (NSC). Despite challenges attributable to the navy battle, the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs proceed to function, supplying electrical energy to the nationwide grid.

“The ongoing degradation of the electrical grid, including its crucial substations, increases the risk to safe operation of the plants, compromising Pillar 4 of the Seven Pillars,” the Director General stated on the Board assembly.

He added: “Amid these challenges, the Agency continues to prioritize equipment delivery to support nuclear safety and security in Ukraine through contributions by 30 donor states and the EU.”

In the 153rd supply of apparatus to Ukraine for the reason that begin of the armed battle, the State Specialized Scientific and Industrial Enterprise “ECOCENTRE” acquired provides important for making certain continued environmental monitoring  within the Chornobyl NPP Exclusion Zone. The supply was supported with funds from Sweden.