Category: Press Release

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) lost the connection to its last remaining main power line for almost five hours today amid reports of widespread military action in Ukraine, once again highlighting ever-present dangers to nuclear safety and security during the conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.

The ZNPP stopped receiving power from the 750 kilovolt (kV) power line around 6:10am local time, IAEA experts stationed at the site reported. It was not immediately clear what had caused the disconnection, but the plant was informed that a short circuit of the power line occurred around 95 km from the site, on the other side of the Dnipro river.

As no physical damage to the 750 kV line was identified, it was reconnected at 11:02am. The ZNPP has repeatedly lost power over the past two years due to military-related events at varying distances away from the site.

While the 750 kV line was unavailable, the ZNPP continued to receive the external electricity it needs for reactor cooling and other essential functions from its only remaining back-up 330 kV power line, which itself was only restored in mid-March after an outage of more than three weeks. All 20 emergency diesel generators remain available in standby mode, in case of a total loss of off-site power. Before the war, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP) had access to ten off-site power lines, four 750 kV and six 330 kV lines.

The IAEA experts at the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (SUNPP) reported that it too temporarily lost connection to one 750 kV and one 330 kV power line. It continued to have access to other power lines and remained in operation, albeit it at a reduced power output until the 750 kV line was reconnected.

“We are reminded once again about the very real dangers the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant – as well as Ukraine’s other nuclear power plants – are continuing to face every day as long as this devastating war continues. Once again, the off-site power situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant has been hanging by a thread,” Director General Grossi said.

Today’s power cut and reports of military action in Ukraine came after the ZNPP earlier this week postponed planned maintenance of some of its reactor safety systems due to the “general situation in the plant’s surroundings”, without elaborating. Also this week, the IAEA experts at the ZNPP reported hearing an increased number of daily explosions occurring at different distances from the site, including what appeared to be outgoing artillery and machine gun fire from areas outside the ZNPP perimeter.

It was the second time in recent weeks that the ZNPP postponed some maintenance at the site, adding to concerns about nuclear safety and security there, Director General Grossi said.

Routine maintenance work on the safety systems of reactor unit 1 was first delayed when the ZNPP last month lost the connection to its only remaining back-up power line. After the 330 kV line was restored last week, the plant had intended to resume this work and conducted the necessary preparatory tests, before it decided on Wednesday to postpone it again.

After this decision, one of the unit’s safety trains that had been taken off-line and tested ahead of the planned maintenance work was put back into service again. ZNPP reactors each have three separate and independent redundant systems – known as safety trains – comprising their safety systems. However, maintenance on the same unit’s power transformer had already begun and it remains electrically isolated, though the unit can still receive off-site power.

“The world’s attention is rightly focused on the continued danger of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant being hit or losing its off-site power. But there are several other challenging areas that we must continue to monitor closely to help prevent the risk of a nuclear accident, including maintenance, as well as staffing and the availability of spare parts. They all form part of our deep concern regarding nuclear safety and security at the plant,” Director General Grossi said.

Before this week’s postponement decision, the IAEA experts had been informed that extended maintenance periods were being planned for units 1, 2 and 6 of the ZNPP during 2024.

The further postponement of maintenance activities has the potential to adversely affect the implementation of the ZNPP’s preventive maintenance plan for this year. Director General Grossi said in a report to the IAEA Board of Governors last month that the “situation in respect of maintenance activities, should it continue, is expected to have implications for nuclear safety over time, due to degradation of the safety systems and components”.

Over the past week, the IAEA team conducted walkdowns of the six main control rooms, of the unit 6 reactor hall and safety systems rooms, as well as the emergency feedwater pumps and tanks of the same unit and unit 1, and observed the scheduled testing of several emergency diesel generators. The team also visited the turbine hall of unit 5, where the experts were able to visit all levels of the hall but were restricted from viewing the western part of the hall. The IAEA experts did not observe any nuclear safety issues during these walkdowns.

The IAEA experts were informed that the four diesel steam generators had been shut down following the processing of around 1200 cubic metres of liquid waste and borated water.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, the IAEA experts at the Khmelnytskyy and Rivne NPPs as well as at the Chornobyl site have reported that nuclear safety and security continues to be maintained, despite multiple air raid alarms throughout the week. Maintenance in the turbine hall of unit 2 at the Khmelnytskyy NPP is ongoing, and unit 4 at the Rivne NPP is in planned outage.

This week the Agency organised the 41st delivery of equipment to Ukraine as part of its comprehensive assistance programme for maintaining nuclear safety and security in the country. The State Emergency Services of Ukraine and its Special Aviation Detachment of the Operative-Rescue Service of Civil Protection received radiation detection and monitoring equipment, including related accessories such as portable power supplies, data acquisition systems and similar items. The equipment was donated by the National Nuclear Security Administration of the US Department of Energy.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) completed an advisory service mission to Costa Rica to assess the country’s nuclear security regime for nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control (MORC). The team found that several processes and measures for the nuclear security regime in relation to MORC are implemented and encouraged Costa Rica to further enhance national coordination for the implementation of nuclear security measures for MORC. It was the first such mission to the country.

The mission, carried out at the request of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) of the Republic of Costa Rica and in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship (MOFA) took place from 4 to 15 March. Seven experts from Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Spain, the United States of America and the IAEA participated in this mission.

International Nuclear Security Advisory Service (INSServ) missions aim to help States to better prevent, detect and respond to criminal and intentional unauthorized acts involving nuclear or other radioactive material, known as MORC, which is lost, missing, stolen, improperly disposed of, or not adequately stored or handled.

This mission aimed to review the current state of nuclear security in relation to MORC in Costa Rica and to provide recommendations on how to strengthen it in accordance with international legal instruments and guidance and good practices.

The team conducted a series of meetings with officials from the Ministry of Presidency, MOFA, the OIJ, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Health, the Fire Department, National Emergency Commission, the 911 Emergency System, the University of Costa Rica, and the Atomic Energy Commission.

The INSServ team visited facilities of the OIJ, including its Forensic Science Laboratory, the Directorate of Intelligence and National Security (DIS), the Special Intervention Unit (UEI), the Fire Department, the University of Costa Rica, and the 911 Emergency Centre in San Jose.

“Costa Rica is in the process of establishing a framework to regulate and respond to events related to MORC”, said Team Leader Carlos Nogueira from Brazil. “We appreciate the high level of cooperation throughout the mission and hope that the mission’ recommendations and suggestions will assist the country to strengthen its nuclear security systems and measures for MORC.”

The team said that Costa Rica is on track to achieve tangible results in establishing a nuclear security regime for MORC. Still, it recommended the country to further work on the national response system for criminal or intentional unauthorized acts involving MORC, and to introduce relevant offences and appropriate penalties in its national legal framework.  Further recommendations addressed aspects of coordination among competent authorities, especially with regard to the definition of different roles and responsibilities.

The team identified the timely notification of incidents and emergencies to relevant authorities by Costa Rica´s 911 Emergency System as a good practice. The team also acknowledged that the country successfully developed and deployed nuclear security systems and measures for the FIFA U20 Women´s World Cup in 2022 with IAEA assistance.

“The full scope INSServ mission to Costa Rica builds on the country’s systematic cooperation with the IAEA for the enhancement of MORC-related nuclear security detection and response systems,” said Elena Buglova, Director of the IAEA Division of Nuclear Security, during the closing session. “We welcome that Costa Rica hosted this mission, which is also the first INSServ conducted under the new INSServ guidelines for Latin America and the Caribbean.”

IAEA’ INSServ missions are part of ongoing efforts to assist Member States in strengthening their nuclear security regimes in relation to MORC. The Agency provides a range of services in this area, including expert advice, training, and equipment support, to help Member States protect against criminal or intentional unauthorized acts involving such materials.

“We would like to express our gratitude for the guidance the IAEA has provided to Costa Rica through the assessment. We appreciate the suggestions and recommendations of the international team of experts. They will be of great benefit to the national nuclear security regime, particularly in enhancing the coordination among competent authorities,” said Ambassador Alejandro Solano, Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs, MOFA.

Background

The mission was the 87th INSServ mission conducted by the IAEA since the programme began in 2006.

INSServ missions, based on the INSServ guidelines published in 2019, assist States in establishing, maintaining and strengthening their nuclear security regime related to nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control.

The missions provide independent advice on implementing international instruments, along with IAEA guidance on the prevention and detection of and response to criminal and intentional unauthorized acts involving nuclear and other radioactive material out of regulatory control.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has regained access to its only remaining back-up power line, following an outage of more than three weeks that once again underlined persistent nuclear safety and security risks facing the site, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

The ZNPP’s connection to the 330 kilovolt (kV) off-site power line was restored shortly after 6pm local time on Thursday, providing a much-needed buffer for the plant which has suffered eight complete loss of external power events over the past year and a half.

The 330 kV line was lost on 20 February due to an incident on the other side of the Dnipro River, leaving the ZNPP entirely dependent on its only 750 kV line. Before the conflict, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP) had a total of ten power lines available, four 750 kV and six 330 kV lines.

“Last evening’s positive development should not hide the fact that the power situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant continues to be extremely fragile and vulnerable to further disruptions. I remain deeply concerned about the nuclear safety and security situation at this major nuclear facility,” Director General Grossi said.

In addition, IAEA experts stationed at the site have continued to report on explosions and other indications of military activity not far from the ZNPP. They heard blasts at various distances from the site every day over the past week, including explosions nearby in the morning and evening of 8 March and again in the morning and late at night the following day. On Wednesday, the team heard around 13 rounds of outgoing artillery fire.

“What once seemed unimaginable – military activity near a nuclear power plant – has become a daily reality. The situation is not improving and as long as this tragic war continues, the plant remains in danger. For this reason, I again call for maximum restraint and full observance of the five concrete principles established at the United Nations Security Council in May last year,” Director General Grossi said.

The IAEA experts at the ZNPP were informed by the plant of a drone attack in an area outside the perimeter of the ZNPP site during the week. There were no casualties reported. The event occurred at around 6pm local time on Tuesday, 12 March. The IAEA experts were first informed by the ZNPP on 13 March at 1pm, where upon they immediately accessed the location of the reported impact, roughly 550 meters from the site perimeter. The team observed a shallow cavity in the ground approximately 70cm in diameter, located just outside the concrete wall that surrounds the off-site diesel fuel storage area, some 100 meters from the diesel fuel storage tanks. The team also observed some partially burnt foil/plastic material in the area.

The off-site diesel fuel tanks store additional fuel for the emergency diesel generators (EDGs) for the six reactor units at the ZNPP. Together with the fuel stored at each EDG on-site, the plant currently has enough diesel fuel for more than 20 days operation of the EDGs in the case of a total loss of off-site power.

The impact did not cause damage to any structures, including a warehouse approximately 40 meters from the impact site, and there was no impact on nuclear safety. On the basis of the available evidence and visual observations, the IAEA is unable to confirm if the event was the result of a drone attack or other type of projectile.

The IAEA experts at the site, who crossed the frontline to travel to and from the plant as part of a scheduled rotation this week, have continued to conduct walkdowns and assess nuclear safety and security at the ZNPP.

They reported that the ZNPP’s four diesel steam generators have resumed operations to treat liquid waste. These recently-installed steam generators were previously operating in early February, but were then switched off for just over a month until a sufficient volume of liquid was ready to be treated.

As part of ongoing efforts to monitor the well-being of personnel, the IAEA team was briefed by an on-site psychologist on the continuous evaluation of all staff, with some additional assessments for operators of the main reactor control rooms and turbines.

The IAEA experts also observed simulator training of operating staff in the training centre, where they held discussions with the ZNPP training centre and Rostekhnadzor, the nuclear safety regulatory body of the Russian Federation, about the process that staff must follow to obtain their operating “authorizations”.

The IAEA experts were informed that staff are being trained considering the present situation at the ZNPP, with all reactor units either in cold or hot shutdown, as well as the current status of the external power lines and cooling water.  The ZNPP says it has enough authorized operating staff to maintain the reactor units in their current shutdown states.

“The staffing situation at the plant remains a vital issue for nuclear safety and security that we will continue to monitor closely,” Director General Grossi said.

The IAEA experts present at the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs as well as at the Chornobyl site have reported that nuclear safety and security is being maintained despite the challenging war-time circumstances, including the frequent sound of air raid alarms at some of the facilities.

The IAEA team at the Khmelnytskyy NPP had to go to the site’s shelter four times this week, on 10 and 11 March, respectively. At the same site, the IAEA team was informed that the plant manually shut down its reactor unit 2 on Wednesday to investigate an issue with the turbine shaft. Nuclear safety and security was not affected by this event.  

The IAEA experts at the Rivne, South Ukraine and Khmelnytskyy NPPs all rotated this week.

The IAEA has continued to deliver equipment to help maintain nuclear safety and security in Ukraine. This week, two deliveries took place bringing the total to 40 since the armed conflict began. Alpha and beta radiation counting systems, portable radio-communication equipment and personal protective equipment reached the Rivne NPP and the Chornobyl site. The equipment was procured using funding from the European Union and the United Kingdom.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts today completed an International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS) mission in the United States of America.

The IPPAS mission was conducted from 26 February to 8 March 2024 and was hosted by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The nine-person team reviewed the country’s nuclear security regime for nuclear material and nuclear facilities. This included an assessment of the governmental organizations and legislation relevant to physical protection, the regulatory role and processes, procedures and practices for inspection and enforcement and the sustainability of the regime. The team also made a comprehensive review of physical protection systems at a nuclear facility. As part of the review, the team visited the Sandia Pulsed Reactor Facility – Critical Experiments (SPRF/CX) at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the US.  This facility performs criticality benchmark experiments and hands-on safety training to support efficient and reliable nuclear operations.

This is the second time the US has requested an IPPAS mission, with the first being in 2013. The US ratified the 2005 Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) in 2015.

At the end of the mission, the team reported that the US has a robust nuclear security regime. The team made recommendations and suggestions aimed at supporting the US to further strengthen its nuclear security procedures and practices. Good practices were identified, which may be used by other IAEA Member States to build long term improvement in global nuclear security.

The team – led by Kathleen Heppell-Masys, Vice-President of Nuclear Operations Oversight at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited – included experts from Argentina, Australia, Czech Republic, Japan, Poland, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, as well as one IAEA staff member. They met in Washington DC and Albuquerque, New Mexico with representatives from the US DOE, the National Nuclear Security Administration, Sandia National Laboratories and the Sandia Field Office among others.

“The IPPAS mission in the United States, conducted just before the International Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS 2024), sets an example of national commitment towards nuclear security for countries to follow,” said Elena Buglova, Director of the IAEA Division of Nuclear Security, during the closing session. “This commitment is also reflected in the country’s support for the IAEA’s nuclear security programme which has an immense impact on all Member States. The openness and cooperation of the US authorities and the facility operator throughout the preparation phase and the mission itself are commendable”.

NNSA Administrator Jill Hruby said one of NNSA’s fundamental missions is to reduce global nuclear threats by preventing the theft and sabotage of nuclear materials and by responding to nuclear or radiological incidents both domestically and around the world.  “As such, the IPPAS Mission closely aligns with NNSA’s continued efforts to strengthen the global nuclear and radiological security regime,” she added. 

Background

The mission was the 103rd IPPAS mission conducted by the IAEA since the programme began in 1995.

IPPAS missions are intended to assist States in strengthening their national nuclear security regime. The missions provide peer advice on implementing international instruments, along with IAEA guidance on the protection of nuclear and other radioactive material and associated facilities.

During missions, a team of international experts observes a nation’s system of physical protection, compares it with international good practices and makes recommendations for improvement. IPPAS missions are conducted both on a nationwide and facility-specific basis.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Mariano Grossi, met Russian President Vladimir Putin this week as part of the IAEA’s persistent efforts to help prevent a nuclear or radiological accident during the ongoing conflict.

Director General Grossi described Wednesday’s meeting with President Putin as “professional and frank”, with the discussions focused on the paramount importance of reducing the still significant nuclear safety and security risks at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in southern Ukraine, controlled by Russia for the past two years.

It was their second meeting, following one in Saint Petersburg in October 2022, and it took place a month after Director General Grossi on 7 February crossed the frontline to travel to the ZNPP for the fourth time during the war. On the way to the plant, he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

“As I have repeatedly stated, I must talk to both sides to help reduce the danger of a potentially severe nuclear accident that would recognize no borders. No one stands to gain from a nuclear disaster, and we must do everything possible to prevent it. This was also my message to President Putin and other senior Russian officials this week,” the Director General said after his meetings in the Russian town of Sochi.

During his discussions in Sochi, Director General Grossi emphasized once again that the nuclear safety and security situation at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP) remains precarious, with six out of the seven pillars of nuclear safety and security that he outlined early during the conflict being compromised fully or partially.

He also reiterated his call for maximum military restraint and strict observance of the five concrete principles established at the United Nations Security Council on 30 May 2023.

At the ZNPP this week, the IAEA experts stationed at the site have continued to hear explosions and other indications of military activity not far away from the facility. Three times this week, they reported hearing several successive explosions within a few minutes, as well as one explosion yesterday evening and multiple explosions this morning, possibly indicating the use of heavy weapons from an area close to the plant.

On 1 March, the IAEA experts heard an explosion some distance away from the ZNPP. The following morning, the team was informed by the plant that there had been shelling in parkland a few hundred metres away from the city hall administrative building of the town of Enerhodar, where many plant staff live. On arrival at the location, later the same day, the IAEA experts were informed that debris from the alleged munitions used had already been removed. While the team observed some damaged trees and marks on the ground, it was not possible to conclude whether or not shelling had actually occurred.

Further underlining the fragile nuclear safety and security situation at the ZNPP, the plant remains without back-up external power after the only remaining 330 kilovolt (kV) line was disconnected more than two weeks ago, on 20 February. As a result, the ZNPP remains dependent on its only functioning 750 kV power line, out of four such lines available before the conflict. The IAEA team was informed that the 330 kV line is not expected to be reconnected for at least another week.

The ZNPP informed the IAEA team that it has commenced maintenance activities on reactor unit 1, except for those planned to be performed on safety systems and electrical equipment, which have been postponed until the 330 kV line is reconnected.

The IAEA experts also continue to collect information on the authorizations of operating staff in the ZNPP’s main control rooms. The regional head of ZNPP Nuclear and Radiation Safety Inspections of Rostekhnazdor, the Russian regulatory body, late last month informed the IAEA team during a visit that a total of 143 applications for authorizations of operating personnel had been received, of which 91 authorizations had so far been issued. The ZNPP says it has sufficient staff for the current shutdown status of the plant’s six reactors.

“The staffing situation at the plant remains a vital issue for nuclear safety and security that we will continue to monitor closely,” Director General Grossi said.

During their walkdowns at the site this week, the IAEA team visited the temporary emergency response centre and were informed that the emergency preparedness and response arrangements at the ZNPP continue under a temporary emergency plan, while a new plan is expected to be completed this year. The team was also informed that a major exercise is being planned for late 2024.

In addition, the IAEA experts visited the ZNPP’s electrical and mechanical warehouses to assess the availability of spare parts essential for maintenance, observing some spare parts in each warehouse. The plant informed the team that the site has spare parts for upcoming maintenance and for the reactors in their current shutdown states, adding that the spare parts are provided from the Russian Federation.  

During other walkdowns this week, the team observed the current management of solid radioactive waste at the ZNPP and also went to the turbine halls of reactor units 3 and 5. Once again, access was restricted. The IAEA experts were not able to access the western part of the halls nor the plant equipment on the ground floor of the turbine building of unit 5. The IAEA expert team expects to gain access to these areas soon.

The IAEA teams present at the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs as well as at the Chornobyl site have reported that nuclear safety and security is being maintained despite the challenging war-time circumstances, including the frequent sound of air raid alarms at some of the facilities. The IAEA experts at Chornobyl rotated earlier this week.

This week, the IAEA made its 38th delivery of equipment to Ukraine aimed at assisting in maintaining nuclear safety and security. Contamination survey meters and physical protection equipment were delivered to VostokGOK and to the Chornobyl NPP site, with support from the contributions made by the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts today completed a review of long term operational safety at Unit 1 of the Atucha Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Argentina.

The Safety Aspects of Long Term Operation (SALTO) mission was requested by plant operator Nucleoelectrica Argentina S.A (NA-SA). It continues a comprehensive IAEA evaluation of the unit in recent years. Two IAEA Pre-SALTO missions in 2016 and 2018, followed by a Pre-SALTO follow-up in 2021, were previously conducted to review the long term safety of the unit.

NA-SA is currently preparing to submit a license renewal application to the Argentinian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN) to extend the operating lifetime of the 362 Megawatt electric (MWe) Unit 1 by 20 years. The plant, located 100 km north-west of Buenos Aires, went into commercial operation in 1974 and its current operating licence expires in 2024. The 745 MWe Unit 2 of Atucha NPP started its commercial operation in May 2016 and was not part of the review.

During the ten-day mission from 27 February to 7 March, the team reviewed the plant’s preparedness, organization and programmes for safe long term operation (LTO). The mission was conducted by a twelve-person team comprising experts from Belgium, Brazil, Japan, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United States, and two IAEA staff members. The team had in depth discussions with staff from the Atucha NPP and conducted plant walkdowns during the review.

“The team noted the measures taken by the operator to ensure the safe LTO of the plant. Additionally, the professionalism, openness and receptiveness exhibited by the plant staff towards suggestions for improvement are commendable,” said Gabor Petofi, team leader and IAEA Senior Nuclear Safety Officer. “Many of the ageing management and LTO activities are already in alignment with IAEA Safety Standards. We encourage the plant to address the review findings and proceed with the implementation of all remaining activities for safe LTO.”

The team identified good practices and good performances that will be shared with the nuclear industry globally, including:

• The qualification of coatings designed to ensure integrity of the containment building.
• Comprehensive condition assessment reports for safety related structures, systems and components.
• Objective score cards used for evaluation of applications for internal vacancies.

The team also provided recommendations to further enhance the preparations for LTO safety, including:

• The plant should provide a systematic safety assessment to identify reasonable safety improvements for the operation period beyond 2024.
• The plant should complete and implement the qualification programme for electrical components inside the containment.
• The plant should improve the implementation of ageing management of civil structures.

The plant management expressed a determination to address the areas identified for improvement and invite a SALTO Follow-up mission in 2026.

“The IAEA and NA-SA teams showed a strong commitment to the successful implementation of the SALTO mission, working in a professional and collaborative environment, sharing information and experience,” said Eduardo Arostegui, site manager at Atucha NPP. “The SALTO findings will help us to ensure a safe and reliable development of LTO activities and will also improve performance for the second cycle of operation of Atucha I”.

The team provided a draft report to the plant management and ARN at the end of the mission. The plant management and ARN will have an opportunity to make factual comments on the draft. A final report will be submitted to the plant management, ARN and the Argentinian Government within three months.

Background

Information on SALTO missions can be found here.

A SALTO peer review is a comprehensive safety review addressing strategy and key elements for the safe long term operation of nuclear power plants. They complement OSART missions, which are designed as a review of programmes and activities essential to operational safety. Neither SALTO nor OSART reviews are regulatory inspections, nor are they design reviews or substitutes for an exhaustive assessment of a plant’s overall safety status.

LTO of nuclear power plants is defined as operation beyond an established time frame determined by the license term, the original plant design, relevant standards or national regulations. As stated in IAEA safety standards, to maintain a plant’s fitness for service, consideration should be given to life limiting processes and features of systems, structures and components (SSC), as well as to reasonably practicable safety upgrades to enhance the safety of the plant to a level approaching that of modern plants.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts today completed a review of long term operational safety at the Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Unit 1 in Romania.

The Pre-SALTO (Safety Aspects of Long Term Operation) review mission that took place from 27 February to 7 March was requested by the plant’s operator, SN Nuclearelectrica.

Unit 1 at the Cernavoda NPP, Romania’s only nuclear power plant, went into commercial operation in 1996. It is one of two 700 megawatt electrical (MW(e)) pressurized heavy water reactors of the CANDU (CANadian Deuterium Uranium) 6 design at the NPP. The operator is planning to refurbish the reactor and extend the total operating lifetime to approximately 60 years.

The Pre-SALTO team assessed the strategy and key elements for safe long term operation of nuclear power plants based on the IAEA safety standards. During the ten-day mission from 27 February to 7 March, the team reviewed the plant’s preparedness, organization and programmes for safe LTO. The mission was conducted by a ten-person team comprising experts from Argentina, Ireland, Pakistan, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States of America as well as two observers from India and the Republic of Korea and two IAEA staff members. The team had in depth discussions with staff from the Cernavoda NPP and conducted a plant walkdown during the review.

“The team observed that SN Nuclearelectrica is implementing preparations for safe LTO in a timely manner and the staff at the plant are professional, open and receptive to suggestions for improvement,” said team leader and IAEA Nuclear Safety Officer Martin Marchena. “Some ageing management and LTO activities already meet IAEA safety standards. We encourage the plant to address the review findings and implement all remaining activities for safe LTO as planned.”

The team identified good practices and good performances that will be shared with the nuclear industry globally, including:

• The plant has established partnerships with high schools, trade schools and universities including knowledge and skill development for high school students as well as internships and scholarships. The plant has utilized these approaches to proactively   support future staffing needs.
   
• The plant implemented a sound programme for managing the ageing of steam generators, including design modifications for improved access and assessment of their condition.
   
• The plant implemented a well-established database for cable management. This database facilitates the configuration management and safety assessments that affect cable systems.

The team also provided recommendations to further improve the preparations for LTO safety:

• The plant should fully develop and complete the Ageing Management Review process for mechanical, electrical, and Instrumentation and Control (I&C) components and civil structures.
   
• The plant should improve the programmes designed to confirm the resistance of components to harsh conditions, a so-called equipment qualification programme.

The plant management expressed a determination to address the areas identified for improvement and to continue its cooperation with the IAEA.

“The senior management at the Nuclear Power Plant believes that the Pre-SALTO review is instilling confidence among all staff members in our commitment to safe and reliable operations over the long term,” said Valentin Ovidiu Nae, the NPPs Site Vice President. “The findings from this review will enable our team to pursue further improvements and excellence. The Cernavoda team extends its gratitude to the organization for its unwavering dedication and ongoing support,”

The team provided a draft report to the plant management and to the Romanian National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) at the end of the mission. The plant management and CNCAN will have an opportunity to make factual comments on the draft. A final report will be submitted to the plant management, CNCAN and the Romanian Government within three months.

Background

A SALTO peer review is a comprehensive safety review addressing strategy and key elements for the safe long term operation of nuclear power plants. They complement OSART missions, which are designed as a review of programmes and activities essential to operational safety. Neither SALTO nor OSART reviews are regulatory inspections, nor are they design reviews or substitutes for an exhaustive assessment of a plant’s overall safety status.

LTO of nuclear power plants is defined as operation beyond an established time frame determined by the license term, the original plant design, relevant standards, or national regulations. As stated in IAEA safety standards, to maintain a plant’s fitness for service, consideration should be given to life limiting processes and features of systems, structures, and components (SSC), as well as to reasonably practicable safety upgrades to enhance the safety of the plant to a level approaching that of modern plants.

More information on SALTO missions can be found here.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) works to address the underrepresentation of women in the nuclear field through the IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme (MSCFP) and the Lise Meitner Programme (LMP). By enabling more women to enter and pursue careers in the nuclear field, the programmes help build the future nuclear workforce.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, the IAEA will host an event, For More Women in Nuclear: IAEA Marie Sklodowska Curie Fellowship and the Lise Meitner Programmes, on 7-8 March. Over 400 programme recipients will participate in career talk sessions and networking activities, including with senior experts and representatives of the nuclear industry.

Director General Grossi will open the event on 7 March at 14:00 CET in Boardroom B, on the first floor of the M-Building of the Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria. The opening session, which is open to the media, will include a high-level panel discussion. The panel will focus on breaking barriers and supporting the next generation of women leaders.

The plenary sessions of the event are open to media and will also be live streamed. Click here for more information.

There will be a group photo opportunity with Director General Grossi on 7 March at 13:30 CET, from the first floor of the VIC Rotunda. At the closing session, also open to the media, a “Statement for more Women in Nuclear” will be presented by the programme recipients to the IAEA and will be published here.

This event will bring together MSCFP students and alumnae, and the LMP participants, to exchange ideas and to strengthen their network and leadership skills. This is also an occasion for industry to meet with this rapidly growing community of women nuclear experts and explore opportunities to advance their careers.

Watch the announcement of the event made by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi on 7 November 2023, the birthday of these two great scientists.

The IAEA welcomes partnering with public and private sectors, academia and civil society to work together for more women in nuclear. The programme is being finalized and will be made available here.

For more information and information on how to participate in the event, please contact press@iaea.org and  IWD2024@iaea.org.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) works to address the underrepresentation of women in the nuclear field through the IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme (MSCFP) and the Lise Meitner Programme (LMP). By enabling more women to enter and pursue careers in the nuclear field, the programmes help build the future nuclear workforce.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, the IAEA will host an event, For More Women in Nuclear: IAEA Marie Sklodowska Curie Fellowship and the Lise Meitner Programmes, on 7-8 March. Over 400 programme recipients will participate in career talk sessions and networking activities, including with senior experts and representatives of the nuclear industry.

Director General Grossi will open the event on 7 March at 14:00 CET in Boardroom B, on the first floor of the M-Building of the Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria. The opening session, which is open to the media, will include a high-level panel discussion. The panel will focus on breaking barriers and supporting the next generation of women leaders.

The plenary sessions of the event are open to media and will also be live streamed. Click here for more information.

There will be a group photo opportunity with Director General Grossi on 7 March at 13:30 CET, from the first floor of the VIC Rotunda. At the closing session, also open to the media, a “Statement for more Women in Nuclear” will be presented by the programme recipients to the IAEA and will be published here.

This event will bring together MSCFP students and alumnae, and the LMP participants, to exchange ideas and to strengthen their network and leadership skills. This is also an occasion for industry to meet with this rapidly growing community of women nuclear experts and explore opportunities to advance their careers.

Watch the announcement of the event made by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi on 7 November 2023, the birthday of these two great scientists.

The IAEA welcomes partnering with public and private sectors, academia and civil society to work together for more women in nuclear. The programme is being finalized and will be made available here.

For more information and information on how to participate in the event, please contact press@iaea.org and  IWD2024@iaea.org.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been without back-up power for the past ten days, leaving the facility entirely dependent on its only remaining 750 kilovolt (kV) line for the external electricity it needs to cool its six reactors and for other essential nuclear safety and security functions, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

The IAEA experts stationed at the site reported that the ZNPP expects the 330 kV back-up line to be reconnected soon – perhaps even later today – but the plant’s off-site power situation remains a source of deep concern, Director General Grossi said.

“Out of a total of 10 off-site power lines available before the conflict – four 750 kV and six 330 kV – only one remains operational today. Even if one back-up line becomes available again, it is far from sufficient,” Director General Grossi said.

“Europe’s largest nuclear power plant has suffered eight instances of a complete loss of off-site power in the past 18 months, forcing it to rely on emergency diesel generators. In the history of nuclear energy, this is an unprecedented situation and clearly not sustainable. I remain extremely concerned about nuclear safety and security at the plant,” he said.

The ZNPP informed the IAEA experts this week that all scheduled preventative maintenance activities on safety-related equipment are suspended until the 330 kV line is reconnected, except for routine testing of the safety systems, including the emergency diesel generators.

Further underlining the persistent dangers facing the plant, the IAEA team has continued to report about the sound of explosions and other indications of military activity in the area, which is on the frontline of the conflict.

Early on Wednesday morning, the experts heard an explosion some distance away from the plant followed by what appeared to be small arms fire close to or on the site. The ZNPP informed the IAEA team that Russian troops had taken measures to “protect the plant” against drones in the area, but that the ZNPP itself had not been attacked and there was no damage or casualties. No further details were immediately available of this incident. The IAEA experts requested access to the area but were told there was no damage to inspect, and that the area was outside the plant’s control.

Earlier this week, the plant informed the IAEA team that a drone attack had allegedly occurred in Enerhodar on Sunday evening, targeting a roof with telecommunications equipment, the latest in a series of reported drone strikes in the town, where many plant staff live. The following day, the IAEA experts went to Enerhodar to see the building where the attack purportedly took place. The team was able to observe the outside of the building. No signs of damage were visible at the time of the visit.  

Throughout the week, the experts conducted walkdowns across the ZNPP site, including the cooling pond facilities as well as the cooling towers and sprinkler ponds, which provide cooling water for the six reactors, five of which are in cold shutdown and one in hot shutdown. The sprinkler ponds are full and continue to receive cooling water from the 11 groundwater wells which were constructed after the destruction of the downstream Kakhovka dam in mid-2023.

The team also visited the isolation gate of the discharge channel of the Zaporizhzhya Thermal Power Plant (ZTPP), but they were not able to access the isolation gate of the large ZNPP cooling pond, a location IAEA experts last saw in November last year.

During the past week, the IAEA experts conducted a walkdown of the safety systems rooms of reactor unit 5, observing that routine testing of some safety system pumps was underway. The team also visited the two fresh fuel storage facilities on the site.

During the walkdowns conducted by the IAEA experts over the past week, they observed that anti-personnel mines were once again visible within the perimeter fences that are inaccessible to personnel, after they had appeared to be gone in early February.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, the IAEA experts present at the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) as well as at the Chornobyl site have reported that nuclear safety and security is being maintained despite the challenging war-time circumstances, including the frequent sound of air raid alarms at some of the facilities. The team at the Khmelnytskyy NPP were required to shelter twice on Wednesday.