Category: Nuclear Weapons

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IAEA Board Briefed on Ukraine, Iran, Gender Parity, AI and More

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Mr Grossi then turned to the IAEA’s flagship initiatives, starting with Atoms4Food, a joint FAO/IAEA initiative aimed at boosting global food security. He said about 27 countries had already requested help under the scheme. “I want to thank the countries that have already started manifesting their interest to provide financing for this important project,” the Director General added. 

Rays of Hope: Cancer Care for All is an IAEA initiative to bring life-saving cancer care to countries where there is little access to radiotherapy. Mr Grossi explained that 90 countries, mostly in the developing world, had requested assistance under the scheme.  

And around 100 countries have expressed interest in NUTEC Plastics, the IAEA initiative aimed at monitoring and reducing plastic pollution using nuclear techniques and applications. 

“So all of these are also confirmations of the very concrete, very tangible, not rhetorical ways in which all of us together and this organization help to solve problems around the world,” the Director General said. 

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More than 145 Reports Added to IAEA Incident and Trafficking Database in 2024

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

In 2024, 147 incidents of illegal or unauthorized activities involving nuclear and other radioactive material were reported to the Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB), a number aligned with the historical average. The new data released by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today underlines the need for continued vigilance and improvement of regulatory oversight for security of nuclear and other radioactive material. 

Out of 147, three incidents reported in 2024 were likely related to trafficking or malicious use, and there was insufficient information to determine the intent of 21 other incidents. Furthermore, 123 incidents were not connected to trafficking or malicious use but most likely resulted from unauthorized disposal, unauthorized shipment or the discovery of radioactive material.

In 2024, the number of incidents involving manufactured goods, such as used pipes, contaminated with radioactive material increased. “This indicates the challenge for some countries to prevent the unauthorized disposal of radioactive sources, and at the same time, it confirms the efficiency of the detection infrastructure,” said Elena Buglova, Director of the IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Security.

All types of nuclear material – including uranium, plutonium and thorium – as well as naturally occurring and artificially produced radioisotopes, and radioactively contaminated material such as scrap metal are included in the ITDB. The ITDB receives information on incidents involving illegal possession, attempted sale and smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive material, as well as unauthorized disposal and the discovery of lost radioactive sources. A total of 4390 incidents have been reported since 1993. 

International cooperation for nuclear security

One of the key functions of the ITDB is to encourage information sharing on relevant nuclear security incidents. Last year’s incidents were reported by 32 of the 145 ITDB participating States.

“Incident reports submitted by participating countries to the ITDB over the past 30 years have strengthened global efforts to combat illicit trafficking and other unauthorized activities involving nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control,” Buglova said. “Analysing information in the ITDB provides, among others, insights to the types of material involved, nuclear security threats at regional level, as well as trends.”

In the last decade, about 65 per cent of all thefts reported to the ITDB have occurred during the authorized transport of nuclear and other radioactive material. These materials are typically transported by road, rail, air and waterways for various applications in health, industry and scientific research. “Data from the ITDB highlights the ongoing importance of strengthening transport security measures and overall, the regulatory control for the security of radioactive sources,” Buglova said.

About the ITDB

The ITDB fosters global information exchange about incidents that involve nuclear and other radioactive material falling out of regulatory control because they were lost, stolen, improperly disposed of or otherwise neglected. The database also includes reports about material returning under regulatory control through various means, for example, through the detection of orphan radioactive sources in metal recycling facilities. The ITDB data is voluntarily reported, and only participating States and relevant international organizations, such as the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organization (WCO), can access it.

The ITDB covers incidents involving nuclear material, radioisotopes and radioactively contaminated material. By reporting lost or stolen material to the ITDB, countries increase the chances of its recovery and reduce the opportunities for it to be used in criminal activities. States can also report scams or hoaxes where the material is purported to be nuclear or otherwise radioactive.

States wishing to join the ITDB need to submit the request to the IAEA through the official channels (i.e. Permanent Mission, Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a national competent authority for nuclear security matters).

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Press Arrangements for IAEA Board of Governors Meeting, 3-7 March 2025

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors will convene its regular March meeting at the Agency’s headquarters starting at 10:30 CET on Monday, 3 March, in Board Room C, Building C, 4th floor, in the Vienna International Centre (VIC). 

Board discussions are expected to include, among others: Nuclear Safety Review 2025; Nuclear Security Review 2025; Nuclear Technology Review 2025; verification and monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in light of United Nations Security Council resolution 2231 (2015); the conclusion of safeguards agreements and of additional protocols; application of safeguards in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; implementation of the NPT safeguards agreement in the Syrian Arab Republic; NPT safeguards agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran; nuclear safety, security and safeguards in Ukraine; transfer of the nuclear materials in the context of AUKUS and its safeguards in all aspects under the NPT; the restoration of the sovereign equality of Member States in the IAEA; and personnel matters. 

The Board of Governors meeting is closed to the press. 

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will open the meeting with an introductory statement, which will be released to journalists after delivery and posted on the IAEA website.  

Press Conference 

Director General Grossi is expected to hold a press conference at 13:00 CET on Monday, 3 March, in the Press Room of the M building. 

A live video stream of the press conference will be available. The IAEA will provide video footage of the press conference and the Director General’s opening statement here and will make photos available on Flickr.  

Photo Opportunity 

There will be a photo opportunity with the IAEA Director General and the Chair of the Board, Ambassador Matilda Aku Alomatu Osei-Agyeman of Ghana, before the start of the Board meeting, on 3 March at 10:30 CET in Board Room C, in the C building in the VIC. 

Press Working Area 

Conference room M7 on the M-Building’s ground floor will be available as a press working area, starting from 09:00 CET on 3 March. Please note the change of room.

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 by 14:00 CET on Friday, 28 February. 

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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Update 278 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Two weeks after it was hit by a drone, Ukrainian firefighters are still trying to extinguish smouldering fires within the large structure built over the reactor destroyed in the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear accident, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

With unrestricted access, the IAEA team based at the site has been closely monitoring the situation following the strike early in the morning on 14 February that pierced a big hole in the New Safe Confinement (NSC), designed to prevent any potential release into the atmosphere of radioactive material from the Shelter Object covering the damaged reactor, and to protect it from external hazards.

Frequent radiation monitoring carried out by Ukraine and independent measurements conducted by the IAEA continue to show normal levels within the NSC as well as elsewhere at the site of the Chornobyl plant.

Aided by thermal imaging including the use of surveillance drones, Ukrainian experts have located smouldering fires in the insulation between the layers of the arch-shaped NSC structure, injecting water to put them out.

Working in shifts, more than 400 emergency response personnel have been participating in the site’s efforts to manage the aftermath of the drone strike.

“The firefighters and other responders are working very hard in difficult circumstances to manage the impact and consequences of the drone strike. It was clearly a serious incident in terms of nuclear safety, even though it could have been much worse. As I have stated repeatedly during this devastating war, attacking a nuclear facility must never happen,” Director General Grossi said.

Further underlining persistent nuclear safety challenges during the military conflict, the IAEA team at the Chornobyl site has reported multiple air raid alarms during the past week, at times forcing the suspension of the activities to extinguish the fires in the NSC roof.  The IAEA was also informed of the presence of drones within five kilometers of the site, including two above one of the intermediate spent fuel storage facilities.

Separately in Kyiv today, an IAEA expert team observed the remains of a drone that Ukraine said were collected following the strike on the NSC. The team observed drone parts that they assessed are consistent with a Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicle. However, the team did not make any further assessment regarding the origin of the drone.

Also this week, an IAEA team has been in Ukraine to conduct further visits to assess the status of electrical substations that are critical for the safety of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants (NPPs), but which suffered damage during widespread attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure in recent months.

NPPs rely on such facilities both to receive the electricity they need for reactor cooling and other nuclear safety functions and to distribute the power they generate themselves.

The IAEA team monitored the current condition of the substations and collected information to identify any further action that could be taken or technical assistance the Agency could provide to strengthen nuclear safety.

At Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the IAEA team reported that the site’s only remaining back-up 330 kilovolt (kV) power line was once again available after it was lost for around a week earlier in February due to unspecified military activities. However, the off-site power situation remains highly challenging at the site.  

The IAEA team has continued to hear explosions on a daily basis, including some near the ZNPP site. On the evening of 24 February, the team heard multiple bursts of machine gun fire. No damage to the site was reported.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, the IAEA teams at the three operating NPPs – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – have continued to hear air raid alarms on most days, with the team at the Khmelnytskyy site having to shelter at their hotel on one occasion this week.

The team at the South Ukraine NPP was informed of drones observed three kilometers east of the site early on 25 February. The same morning the team heard anti-aircraft fire followed by an explosion some distance away.

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Japan’s Reports on Conditions at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 21 February 2025

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

On 21 February 2025, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during November, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent to all international Missions in Japan.

The report contains information on discharges from the subdrain and groundwater drain systems, as well as on groundwater bypassing conducted during the month of November. In both cases, in advance of the action, TEPCO analyzes the quality of the groundwater to be discharged and announces the results. These results confirm that the radiation level of sampled water are substantially below the operational targets set by TEPCO.

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IAEA Profile: A Woman’s Mission to Advance Nuclear Information Management

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Dibuleng Mohlakwana speaking at the ‘Innovative Technologies for Nuclear Information Management’ side event during the 68th IAEA General Conference in September 2024. (Photo: IAEA)

The IAEA profiles employees to provide insight into the variety of career paths that support the Agency’s mission of Atoms for Peace and Development and to inspire and encourage readers, particularly women, to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) or STEM-adjacent fields. Read more profiles of women at the IAEA.   

Technology is increasingly shaping how we share and retrieve information, and demand for information continues to grow. As a result, information science stands at the forefront of innovation and knowledge sharing.

“Information is key to driving performance in organizations, just like financial and human resources. Every decision relies on available data and information,” said Dibuleng Mohlakwana, Head of the IAEA Nuclear Information Section. “My mission at the IAEA is to help people make informed decisions and navigate the vast amount of information available today.”

With nearly 30 years of experience in information, knowledge and records management, Mohlakwana oversees the collection and management of nuclear information accessible to the IAEA and the public. Her role also involves introducing innovative tools and techniques to help the IAEA continuously improve how it shares, organizes and makes information accessible.

Born in Limpopo Province, South Africa, Mohlakwana grew up in a family of educators and agriculturalists. From a young age, her family instilled in her the value of hard work, resilience and education, as well as the independence to carve her own path. This gave her a strong foundation for pursuing her ambitions.

“Information science chose me,” Mohlakwana said. “At 17, I was drawn to information science while studying at the University of Limpopo. I realized effective information management is crucial for organizational success, motivating me to ensure that the right information reaches the right people at the right time.” She went on to earn a master’s degree in information and knowledge management and a PhD in information science.

Mohlakwana began her career as a librarian and credits her network and mentors for shaping her along the way.  Prior to joining the IAEA, she was Director of the eResearch Knowledge Centre in South Africa where she was responsible for research support, library and information services, and the accessibility of research outputs and data via an open access repository.

As her career progressed, Mohlakwana was motivated by the desire to help address international challenges, particularly energy solutions.

“As I witnessed the growing energy challenges in South Africa, from aging infrastructure to heavy reliance on coal, and the country’s need for solutions like nuclear power expansion, I realized that both the challenges and the solutions were not just local—but global,” said Mohlakwana. “Joining the IAEA was a chance to be part of something larger, to contribute to the global effort in shaping a more sustainable energy future for all.”

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IAEA Team Concludes Site and External Events Design Review for Ghana’s First Nuclear Power Plant

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

An IAEA team of experts visited the candidate site of Ghana’s first nuclear power plant during a Site and External Events Design Review Service mission. (Photo: Nuclear Power Ghana)

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts has concluded an eight-day safety review of Ghana’s site selection process for its first nuclear power plant (NPP). Ghana is pursuing the introduction of nuclear power to increase its low carbon power production to meet energy demand, tackle climate change and increase energy security and diversity.

The Site and External Events Design Review Service (SEED) mission, which took place between 14 to 21 February, reviewed Ghana’s adherence to IAEA guidance on site selection. The SEED mission was the first of its kind to Ghana.

Ghana has successfully completed the site selection process and identified the candidate site and an alternative site for its first NPP. The next stage following site selection is the characterization stage of the site evaluation process.

The SEED mission was carried out at the request of the Government of Ghana and hosted by Nuclear Power Ghana (NPG), under the purview of the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition.

The team comprised four experts from Pakistan, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as one IAEA staff. They reviewed the site selection report, together with the siting process, siting criteria, data collection process and application of the management system for siting activities. The team also visited and observed the candidate site in the Western Region and the alternative site in the Central Region. In addition to the SEED review mission, the IAEA provided a SEED Capacity Building Workshop to support site evaluation. During the workshop, external experts and participants engaged in discussions that will contribute to future progress in the site evaluation process.

“We confirmed that both the implementing organization and the management system are well-designed with the support of the government and that the Site Approval Report has been systematically and thoroughly prepared. Ghana followed the IAEA safety standards while performing the site selection process,” said mission team leader Kazuyuki Nagasawa, Senior Nuclear Safety Officer at the IAEA.

The team provided recommendations to improve the quality and optimize the site selection process, aiming to select the most favourable site. This optimization seeks to minimize the potential of the selected site being found to be unsuitable during the site characterization stage. The factors for consideration include the susceptibility to earthquakes, flooding and extreme weather events, as well as the feasibility of the emergency plan.

As a good practice, the team noted that within NPG, leadership and management for safety have been functioning well since the beginning of the siting process.

“We acknowledge with deep appreciation the IAEA SEED mission’s technical assistance in assessing our site selection. This mission is of great importance to our nuclear power programme, as it ensures that our decisions are guided by international best practices for safe and secure development of nuclear power infrastructure. The relevance of the mission extends beyond technical assessment, reinforcing our commitment to transparency, regulatory preparedness and sustainable nuclear energy development” said Stephen Yamoah, Executive Director of NPG.

NPG will continue to receive ongoing technical assistance from the IAEA, while advancing the site approval process in accordance with the IAEA Specific Safety Guide on Site Survey and Site Selection for Nuclear Installations.

The final SEED mission report will be delivered to the Government of Ghana within three months.

About Site and External Events Design Review Service (SEED) missions

SEED missions are expert review missions that assist countries going through different stages in the development of a nuclear power programme. The service offers a choice of modules in which to focus the review, such as site selection, site assessment and design of structures, systems and components, taking into consideration site specific external and internal hazards.

In the case of site selection review, SEED missions assess the appropriate consideration of the safety issues in the site selection process.

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Director General in Japan Supporting Nuclear Safety and Remediation

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

During the Director General’s visit to Kashiwazaki Kariwa, Japan’s largest nuclear power plant, he viewed improvements in safety response and secure access facilities, as well as enhanced seismic and tsunami proofing.

There he met with TEPCO President Tomoaki Kobayakawa and Site Vice President Takeyuki Inagaki, a former IAEA safety officer who was working at the Fukushima Daiichi plant when it was struck by the tsunami in 2011.

“Needless to say, it was the most bitter experience in my life with many lessons learned that needed to be reflected,” said Mr Inagaki. “Now as Site Vice President of the Kashiwazaki Kariwa station, I am determined to never let such an accident happen again.”

After viewing the improvements at the station, the Director General spoke to local media, and said he was “very satisfied with the progress” he had seen.

“Nuclear safety and security are an everyday effort. One by one all the recommendations made by IAEA experts have been duly and correctly addressed here.”

During his trip, the Director General also joined an ongoing IAEA effort to monitor marine radioactivity near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station. On a boat off the coast in front of the station, Mr Grossi worked with scientists from the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, and Switzerland, to collect seawater samples together.

The samples will be now be analysed by the IAEA laboratories in Monaco, and national laboratories in Japan and the participating countries, each members of the IAEA’s Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity (ALMERA) network, chosen to ensure a high level of proficiency.

Read more about the Director General’s sampling trip and the additional measures aim to facilitate broader participation in the monitoring of the ALPS-treated water being released from the station.

“Through these efforts, third parties can independently verify that water discharge levels are, and will continue to be, in strict compliance and consistent with international safety standards,” said Director General Grossi.

Additional remediation efforts being managed by Japan in the region are focused on soil removal and recycling, another area where the IAEA is providing safety guidance.

“In this area, the presence of the IAEA is as intense and systematic as in other areas in the decommissioning effort,” said Mr Grossi.

Read more about the IAEA’s safety review of Japan’s plan for the managed recycling and the final disposal of removed soil and radioactive waste around the Fukushima Daiichi site.

During his trip the Director General also met with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and other key political leaders, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Takeshi Iwaya, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yoji Muto, and the Minister of Environment Keiichiro Asao.

Mr Grossi also had an extended meeting and joint press conference with Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, where they discussed their strong cooperation, and Japanese support to IAEA work, including non-proliferation worldwide, nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, cancer care through the Rays of Hope initiative, food security and more.

On his final day in the country the Director General strengthened IAEA cooperation with the Japanese private sector, by signing a practical arrangement with the Sumitomo Corporation and addressing the Japanese business federation, Keidanren. Read more about the meetings with industry here.

The Director General also signed practical arrangements on cooperation for IAEA educational and training activities with Sophia University and engaged with students and faculty members on IAEA contributions to global issues.

During his visit to Tokyo, Rafael Mariano Grossi also met with Japan Atomic Energy Agency President Masanori Koguchi and signed practical arrangements on cooperation for both nuclear power and non-power applications.

View images from the Director General’s entire trip.

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Strengthening New Partnership with Japanese Private Sector

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and Sumitomo Corporation Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer, Shingo Ueno, signed a practical arrangement on future cooperation for sustainable uses of nuclear energy in Tokyo, Japan, 20 February 2025. (Photo: D. Calma/IAEA)

The IAEA Director General has signed a cooperation agreement with one of the largest worldwide integrated trading companies and had a lecture and networking event at Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) this week, as part of ongoing efforts to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy through partnerships.

Mr Grossi met with Sumitomo Corporation Representative Director, President and Chief Executive Officer Shingo Ueno and signed a practical arrangement on future cooperation for sustainable uses of nuclear energy. IAEA and Sumitomo Corporation aim to set forth the framework for cooperation in addressing global development challenges, particularly in the area of sustainable uses of nuclear related technologies for multiple areas, including healthcare, shipping, fusion and capacity building efforts.

Sumitomo Corporation is a Japanese integrated trading and business investment company, with 125 offices in 63 countries. Sumitomo Corporation Group consists of around 900 companies and 80,000 employees, covering a wide range of fields, including energy transformation.

The Director General then addressed Keidanren, which has a membership comprised of around 1,500 representative companies of Japan, over 100 nationwide industrial associations and the regional economic organizations for all 47 prefectures.

Mr Grossi met with about 30 high-level Japanese business representatives, from trading companies, private banks, insurance firms, nuclear plant construction companies, a commercial shipping company, energy association and more.

He gave a lecture on the IAEA flagship initiatives and his views on the expanding use of nuclear power in the world, including SMRs to enhance private companies’ understanding and networking.

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Update 277 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been relying on a single off-site power line for more than a week now after its only remaining back-up line was lost, once again highlighting an extremely fragile nuclear safety situation during the military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

Nuclear power plants (NPPs) need a secure supply of external electricity to cool their reactors and for other essential nuclear safety and security functions. However, this has been a major challenge over the past three years, with the ZNPP temporarily losing all off-site power eight times.  

In the latest incident affecting the reliability of the supply of power from the grid, its sole 330 kilovolt (kV) back-up power line was disconnected on 11 February and has not yet been fully restored. This leaves Europe’s largest NPP entirely dependent on its only remaining 750 kV line. Before the conflict, it had a total of 10 power lines – six 750 kV and four 330 kV – available.

“The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant still needs reliable supplies of off-site power for cooling purposes, even though its six reactors have been shut down for more than two years now,” Director General Grossi said. “The vulnerability of the external power situation remains a deep source of concern for nuclear safety.”

The ZNPP said the 330 kV line was disconnected last week due to the activation of the electrical protection system. The Ukrainian regulatory body informed the IAEA that it was the result of unspecified military activity and that the power line had been damaged. The IAEA team at the ZNPP currently continues to gather further information regarding the status of the back-up power supply to the site.

Further underlining the constant risks to nuclear safety, the IAEA team based at the site heard an explosion close to the ZNPP on 12 February, coinciding with unconfirmed reports of a drone attack approximately 300 meters from the site. The team has over the past week continued to hear other daily explosions at varying distances from the ZNPP. No damage to the site has been reported.

The IAEA team continues to carry out walkdowns across the ZNPP as part of the work to monitor and assess nuclear safety and security.

The IAEA remains in contact with both sides regarding the next rotation of IAEA personnel at the ZNPP, after it was delayed last week due to intense military activity in the area.

At the Chornobyl NPP site, firefighters are continuing to put out small fires that keep smouldering and spreading on the roof of the New Safe Confinement (NSC), after it was struck on 14 February by a drone that pierced a hole in the large structure built to cover the reactor destroyed in the 1986 accident.

The IAEA team based at the site, which was granted unrestricted access to examine the impact of the explosion, conducts regular walkdowns and radiation measurements to independently monitor the situation. The team’s measurements continue to show normal gamma radiation dose rate values near the NSC compared to those recorded by the IAEA since it established a continuous presence at the site just over two years ago.

The IAEA teams based at Ukraine’s other NPPs – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – have continued to report frequent air raid alarms over the past week and were also informed of the presence of drones within the areas surrounding the respective sites.