Category: Nuclear Weapons

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IAEA Visits India to Strengthen Cooperation in Energy and Cancer Treatment

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

During the visit, Mr Grossi signed a partnership on a new cancer centre as part of the Rays of Hope: Cancer Care for All initiative. 

“I am proud to recognize Tata Memorial as an IAEA Rays of Hope Anchor Centre. A leader of the Global South, India has built strong cancer care expertise—now it’s time to share it with the world. With this partnership, we will bring India’s know-how to regions that need it most,” said the Director General.  

Tata Memorial Centre is the latest Rays of Hope Anchor Centre, joining six others supporting cancer care in the Asia Pacific region. There are now 11 Anchor Centres around the world, serving as knowledge and capacity building hubs to expand access to cancer care where it is needed most, particularly in low- and middle- income countries. 

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Update 281 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said it was encouraging to see the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) being “considered in ongoing conversations” on the military conflict in Ukraine and he stressed that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was ready to provide its technical support for those efforts.

“Without interruption, the IAEA has been present at this major nuclear plant for two and a half years now, doing everything possible to help prevent a potentially disastrous nuclear accident. We all wish for this devastating war to end as soon as possible,” Director General Grossi said.

“With our in-depth knowledge and expertise about the situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, we stand ready to provide our technical contributions and support in the implementation of a future agreement regarding the plant. We will remain present for as long as it is needed to help ensure nuclear safety and security,” he said.

Earlier this week, Director General Grossi said in a social media statement that he welcomed “developments on restraint around energy infrastructure” which would contribute to the safety of the ZNPP, located on the frontline of the conflict.

At the ZNPP over the past week, the IAEA team based there has been observing various maintenance activities that are currently being conducted, an area of work that is of critical importance for overall nuclear safety and security but challenging to sustain during the military conflict.

These activities include maintenance at the plant’s 750 kilovolt (kV) open switchyard, where a new fixed diesel generator has also been installed to provide electricity in case all off-site power were to be lost again. In addition, the team monitored maintenance of the main transformer of reactor unit 5 and of safety equipment in unit 1. Separately, the 330 kV back-up power line was temporarily disconnected for maintenance of a circuit breaker in this switchyard.

“For all nuclear power plants, regular maintenance of structures, systems and components is necessary to prevent degradation of these essential items that would increase the risks to nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi said.

“This has been a particularly challenging issue during the past three years of war, when much of the focus has been on averting more immediate threats to nuclear safety and security and there has also been a lack of staff and other resources. That remains very much the case but it is positive that some maintenance is still being carried out,” he said.

In his latest report on Ukraine, issued ahead of the regular IAEA Board of Governors meeting earlier this month, Director General Grossi said that the ZNPP had provided the IAEA with the plant’s high-level maintenance plan for 2025, including periods of planned maintenance for all its six reactor units.

However, he also noted in the report that “the maintenance being conducted is not yet at the comprehensive level that would normally be expected”.

Over the past week, the IAEA team also visited the reactor building and safety system rooms of the ZNPP’s unit 2, observing the presence of condensation on the walls and floor of the reactor hall and some preliminary signs of corrosion in some unpainted areas. The ZNPP said the condensation was caused by the cold shutdown status of the reactor.

Last week, the IAEA team reported hearing military activities at various distances away from the ZNPP, but it had appeared quieter so far this week.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, planned maintenance and refuelling activities at one reactor unit of the Khmelnytskyy NPP are continuing, while one of the reactor units at the South Ukraine NPP had to temporarily reduce power to repair a pump water leak, which has now been completed.

On most days over the past week, the IAEA teams at the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs and the Chornobyl site reported hearing air raid alarms. Last Friday, the teams at the Khmelnytskyy and Rivne NPPs sheltered at the sites.

Separately, the IAEA has continued with its comprehensive programme of nuclear safety and security assistance to Ukraine, with two new deliveries of equipment bringing the total number since the start of the armed conflict to 115.

The Rivne Regional Centre for Hydrometeorology received one Gamma Spectrometer System and the State Enterprise USIE Izotop – involved in the management of radioactive material intended for medical, industrial and other purposes – a pick-up truck. The deliveries were supported with funding from the European Union and the Republic of Korea. More support is expected to reach Ukraine in coming months.

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From Disaster Recovery to Saving Cultural Heritage: IAEA Boosts Assistance to Countries in Non-Destructive Testing

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Non-destructive testing encompasses a variety of techniques that leverage the interactions of matter with radiation, sound, magnetic fields, electrical currents, and testing agents to inspect materials without damaging them. The most used methods include industrial radiography, ultrasonic testing, liquid penetrant inspection and magnetic particle inspection.

Using gamma or X rays, industrial radiography plays a critical role in creating images that can reveal the safety and quality of civil engineering structures, as bridges, tunnels, dams and buildings are subject to deterioration from environmental stress, including extreme events like earthquakes. NDT is used extensively to inspect aircraft structures, turbine blades and pressure vessels.

As NDT allows experts to inspect objects without harming them, it also contributes significantly to the field of cultural heritage. NDT techniques enable experts to analyse the internal structures of priceless artifacts, sculptures, and historical structures without causing damage, which aids in restoration and conservation efforts.

Meet the Scientists at #ICARST2025

Innovations and latest developments in NDT techniques will be prominently featured at the upcoming International Conference on Applications of Radiation Science and Technology, which will gather hundreds of experts from radiation-related physics, chemistry, materials science, biology, and engineering fields in Vienna from 7 to 11 April 2025. The conference will be livestreamed. 

Following on from previous conferences in 2017 and 2022, #ICARST2025 will showcase how radiation sciences have contributed to industrial growth and economic development by providing versatile tools and processes to produce high quality products in a clean and efficient manner. Participants will discuss how these technologies help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

“At a side event on Enhancing Global Collaboration in NDT for Disaster Recovery Enhancement, we will highlight the importance of strong international stakeholder networks in our NDT emergency response plan,” said Hannah Affum, an Industrial Technologist at the IAEA. “We will also sign Practical Arrangements with the International Committee for Non-Destructive Testing (ICDNT) for the promotion of increased use of NDT in industry, civil engineering, and cultural heritage.”

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Focus on Safe Management of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste at Eighth Review Meeting of the Joint Convention

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

You can see the livestream of the meeting here.

The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management – or Joint Convention – is a legally binding instrument that seeks to achieve and maintain a high level of worldwide safety in spent fuel and radioactive waste management. Over the next two weeks, from 17 to 28 March, Contracting Parties to the Joint Convention will present and discuss their National Reports on implementation of the Convention’s obligations.

Jean-Luc Lachaume, Acting President of the Eighth Review Meeting, from France, welcomed more than 1000 delegates from 77 Contracting Parties and a Signatory State, Lebanon.

 “The challenges before us demand collective resolve. By achieving consensus we demonstrate to the public we serve and to the future generations that together we will continue to advance the principles and goals that bring us together under the banner of the safe management of nuclear waste for generations to come,” said Lachaume on behalf of President Ramzi Jammal.

Delegates will also share their experiences and lessons learned during a topical session on knowledge management in relation to long term management of disused sealed radioactive sources, radioactive waste and spent fuel. In addition, during open-ended working group sessions, delegates will discuss seven proposals submitted by Contracting Parties for improving the Joint Convention procedural mechanisms.  

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)

With growing interest from IAEA Member States in Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology, the Eighth Review Meeting also offers a timely and crucial opportunity to reflect on lessons learned from the past and reiterate the importance of early planning and implementation of policies and strategies for the safe management of radioactive waste and spent fuel for the future.

“Joining and adhering to the Joint Convention acknowledges the importance of thinking early about the full lifecycle of a nuclear facility and planning early to ensure the necessary infrastructure, competence and capacity exists for the safe management of spent fuel, radioactive waste, and decommissioning of facilities,” said Nelli Aghajanyan, coordinator of the Joint Convention.

Review Meetings are held every three years, staring from the entry into force of the Joint Convention in 2001. More information, including meeting summary reports as well as the national reports of Contracting Parties from previous review cycles, are available on the Joint Convention public website.

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IAEA to Host Eighth Review Meeting of the Joint Convention

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The Eighth Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (the Joint Convention) will be held at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in the M-Building of the Vienna International Centre (VIC) from 17 to 28 March. 

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will address the opening plenary session on 17 March at 09:00 CET. Jean-Luc Lachaume, Commissioner of the French Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection, will preside over the Eighth Review Meeting and will open the proceedings.   

In force since 2001, the Joint Convention seeks to achieve and maintain a high level of worldwide safety in spent fuel and radioactive waste management. Currently, of the 180 IAEA Member States, 90 are party to the Convention. At Review Meetings held every three years, the Contracting Parties to the Joint Convention present and discuss national reports on the implementation of obligations under the Convention. 

The agenda for the two-week meeting also includes a topical session on knowledge management related to long term management of disused sealed radioactive sources, radioactive waste and spent fuel, and a discussion of Contracting Parties’ proposals for enhancing the review process. 

Press Opportunities 

Journalists are invited to attend: 

  • and the part of the closing session where the Contracting Parties will adopt a Summary Report – currently foreseen to be held in the afternoon of 28 March. For the exact timing of the closing session, please contact press@iaea.org. 

Both sessions will be streamed live and will take place in Boardroom B/M1 in M Building of the VIC. Photos will also be made available at the IAEA Flickr page. 

Accreditation 

All journalists interested in covering the meeting in person – including those with permanent accreditation – are requested to inform the IAEA Press Office of their plans. Journalists without permanent accreditation must send copies of their passport and press ID to the IAEA Press Office.  

We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation to request it at UNIS Vienna.  

Please plan your arrival to allow sufficient time to pass through the VIC security check.  

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IAEA and World Bank Join Forces to Strengthen Water Security in Niger

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and Niger’s Minister of Hydraulics, Sanitation, and Environment, Maizama Abdoulaye sign an agreement, supported by World Bank funding, to improve water security in the country.  The agreement was on 13 March 2025 in Niamey. (Photo: D. Candano Laris/IAEA)

The IAEA and Niger have signed an agreement, backed by World Bank funding, to improve water security in the country. This landmark collaboration will strengthen water resource management by building a national water quality laboratory and modernizing regional water laboratories in the country.

“With water scarcity affecting lives and livelihoods, strengthening Niger’s water management is critical,” IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said. “With this agreement, we are providing the country with the infrastructure, tools, and expertise it needs to better manage this precious resource. Niger can count on the IAEA to strengthen its water management capabilities and build long-term resilience on this front,” he said.

The agreement was signed on Thursday in Niamey by the IAEA Director General and Niger’s Minister of Hydraulics, Sanitation, and Environment, Maizama Abdoulaye, in the presence of Han Fraeters, World Bank Country Manager for Niger.

Niger faces severe water scarcity due to its arid climate, rapid population growth and limited water infrastructure and has growing concerns regarding water quality.

The modernization of Niger’s regional laboratories “is more vital than ever,” Minister Abdoulaye said.  “It is a question of speeding up the action to be taken, to warn the population of contamination risks and protect them against these chemical threats. I am delighted to sign this agreement with the IAEA, which will establish a reference laboratory and upgrade existing ones.”

Water security – its availability, quality, management and protection – is essential for human development and environmental and economic sustainability.  The IAEA helps countries to manage their freshwater resources using nuclear techniques – isotope hydrology – that provide information about both surface and groundwater supplies and their interaction, particularly on water origin, movement and quality. For groundwater the IAEA provides critical support to countries working on determining the age of their groundwater reserves to ensure that they can be managed sustainably.

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IAEA Director General Visits Niger to Strengthen Cooperation in Mining, Water Management and Cancer Care

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Niger’s first radiotherapy facility – the National Cancer Care Centre, was established with IAEA support in the country’s capital, Niamey. Mr Grossi visited the centre with Niger’s Minister of Public Health, Population and Social Affairs, Garba Hakimi.

 “Niger was among the first countries supported under Rays of Hope and is now expanding cancer care with a new radiotherapy centre planned for the Zinder region,” Mr Grossi said. “The IAEA will continue working with Niger to strengthen cancer services, so more people receive cancer care closer to home.”

Through its Rays of Hope nitiative to expand access to cancer care where it is needed most, the IAEA has supported Niger in strengthening its radiotherapy services – most recently through the addition of a new radiotherapy bunker that will host a medical linear accelerator and other essential equipment. This expansion of Niger’s radiotherapy services will enable more cancer patients to receive this key treatment, which is needed in nearly half of all cancer cases.

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Update 280 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Ukrainian firefighters have gained full control over the situation at the Chornobyl site following last month’s drone strike that caused extensive damage to the large confinement structure covering the reactor destroyed in the 1986 accident, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

The drone attack in the early hours of 14 February pierced a big hole through the roof of the New Safe Confinement (NSC) and set off fires within its structure that continued to smoulder for more than two weeks.

Working around the clock to contain the aftermath of the drone strike, Ukrainian emergency personnel have gradually managed to extinguish all the smouldering, with no new fires detected for around ten days. Last Friday the site was able to downgrade the event from an “emergency” to a “controlled situation”.

From the time of the drone strike, the IAEA team based at the site has had unrestricted access to observe and assess the status of the NSC.

This arch-shaped structure has multiple functions: to protect the environment from any potential release of radioactive material into the atmosphere, to prevent any degradation of the old shelter structure beneath it from external factors and to facilitate dismantling activities.  

As a result of the drone strike, however, the confinement function of the NSC has been compromised. The fires and smouldering resulted in extensive damage, including to the northern side and to a lesser extent to the southern side of its roof, according to an initial site evaluation shared with the IAEA team based at the site. The NSC will require extensive repair efforts.

The Chornobyl site has continued to perform additional radiation monitoring over the past several weeks, reporting the results to the IAEA team, which has also carried out its own independent monitoring. To date, all radiation monitoring results have shown that there has not been any increase in radiation at the site.

“The Ukrainian emergency services have worked very hard for several weeks in challenging circumstances, at times in freezing weather conditions. Their admirable efforts have been rewarded and the emergency situation is now under control, which is very good news,” Director General Grossi said.

“Nevertheless, I remain extremely concerned about the drone strike that took place a month ago. It posed a serious threat to nuclear safety and badly damaged the site’s New Safe Confinement, which was built at a huge expense for the international community. The challenging task ahead is to repair the structure and restore its confinement functionality. Attacking nuclear facilities is completely unacceptable,” he said.

Further underlining constant nuclear safety risks during the conflict, the IAEA staff at the Chornobyl site have continued to report multiple air raid alarms over the past week.

In addition, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) informed the IAEA that the Chornobyl site recorded drone flights in the area during the night of 8 March.

The precarious nuclear safety and security situation was also evident at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), with the IAEA team there hearing explosions on most days at different distances from the site.

The team continued to monitor nuclear safety and security, including the site’s ongoing maintenance activities. At the 750 kilovolt (kV) open switchyard, maintenance began in February on a circuit breaker for one of the site’s three 750 kV power lines that have remained disconnected due to the conflict. This week, maintenance commenced on the main transformer of reactor unit 5 and on the circuit breaker linking it to the open switchyard.

During a site walkdown, the IAEA experts measured the water levels at the plant’s 12 sprinkler ponds, confirming they hold sufficient water to cool the six reactors in their current shutdown status.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, the IAEA teams based at the country’s three operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – have continued to monitor the nuclear safety and security situation at these sites. The teams report hearing air raid alarms on most days.

Over the past week, the IAEA has carried out rotations at the Rivne, South Ukraine and Chornobyl sites, with new Agency teams replacing colleagues based there for the past several weeks.

Separately, the IAEA has continued with its comprehensive programme of nuclear safety and security assistance to Ukraine, with two new deliveries of equipment bringing the total number since the start of the armed conflict to 113. The South Ukraine NPP received spare parts for an industrial automation system as well as telecommunication testing equipment, while the medical unit at Chornobyl received medical supplies. The deliveries were supported with funds from Ireland, France and Sweden.

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IAEA Director General Visits Niger Uranium Mines

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Uranium is the primary fuel for nuclear reactors and its production cycle must be managed carefully, in a safe and secure manner. The IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi is in Niger which produces about 5 percent of the world’s uranium and has visited two mines there during his trip.

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Tritium Level Far Below Japan’s Operational Limit in 11th Batch of ALPS Treated Water, IAEA Confirms

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts have confirmed that the tritium concentration in the 11th batch of diluted ALPS treated water, which the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began discharging on 12 March, is far below Japan’s operational limit.

As for the previous ten batches, IAEA experts stationed at the Agency’s office at the site of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) conducted an independent on-site analysis of samples from the treated water. The IAEA confirmed that the tritium concentration in the diluted water is far below the operational limit of 1500 becquerels per litre and is in line with international safety standards.

In line with Japan’s plans, the ALPS-treated water is being released from FDNPS in a series of batches over the next decades, following the start of the discharge in August 2023. The IAEA confirmed that the tritium concentrations in the previous ten batches, totalling approximately 78.200 cubic meters of water, were also far below operational limits.

In a comprehensive report issued on 4 July 2023 before the discharge began, the IAEA’s safety review found that Japan’s plan for handling the treated water was consistent with international safety standards and that the release as planned would have a negligible radiological impact to people and the environment.

Reports on sampling, independent analysis, data evaluation, as well as timeline, are available on the IAEA website.