Category: Press Release

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been re-connected to its only remaining back-up power line after it was suddenly lost two weeks ago, but the site’s overall supply of off-site electricity remains fragile and vulnerable to further disruptions, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

During the military conflict, frequent power cuts have remained a source of serious concern for safety and security at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP) as it needs electricity to cool its reactors and for other essential functions, even when all units have been shut down.

Earlier this month, the ZNPP suffered its eighth complete loss of external electricity in less than 18 months, caused by grid events outside the plant itself. Since 2 December, it has depended on a single 750 kilovolt (kV) line, until the back-up 330 kV line could be repaired and restored this week. Before the conflict, the ZNPP had four 750 kV lines available as well as several back-up options.

“Since yesterday, the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant once again has two alternative sources of external electricity. But we know only too well just how risky the power situation continues to be. Unfortunately, we can’t rule out more external power blackouts as long as this war continues,” Director General Grossi said.

Further underlining the potential dangers facing the plant, the IAEA experts at the site have continued to hear explosions relatively close to the plant, indicating ongoing military activities in the region where it is located.

Over the past week, the IAEA team has continued to conduct regular walkdowns, including to the plant’s temporary emergency response centre, dry spent fuel storage area, and the reactor building of unit 5 as well as to the main control rooms of all six reactors, one after the other.

On Tuesday, the ZNPP conducted an emergency communication drill, involving on-site and off-site representatives from different Russian organisations. The IAEA experts observed part of the drill. It was the latest in a series of emergency exercises conducted at Ukraine’s nuclear facilities, including at the ZNPP last month.

The IAEA team at the ZNPP again this week requested access to the 330 kV switchyard at the nearby thermal power plant to assess the situation regarding external back-up electrical connections there. As per previous requests, they were not granted such access this time either.

However, the IAEA team was informed that they will be able to access the reactor rooftops in the coming days. The IAEA has previously been given access to three of the reactor roofs – of units 2, 3 and 4 – but not the others. Last week, the experts were granted partial access to the turbine halls of all six reactor units.

The IAEA team is continuing to pay close attention to maintenance activities at the site, including actions taken by the ZNPP following last month’s detection of boron in the secondary circuit of a steam generator of unit 5. The IAEA experts were recently informed that the boron concentration levels in the secondary circuits of all the plant’s 24 steam generators were within the established limits, and that no further action would be taken at this time.

Of the site’s six reactors, five remain in cold shutdown, while unit 4 is in hot shutdown to produce steam and heat, including for the nearby town of Enerhodar, where most plant staff live. The ZNPP has informed the IAEA that there are currently no plans to return unit 5 to hot shut down. Additional heating is provided by mobile diesel boilers installed at the ZNPP together with boilers located in the nearby industrial zone and in Enerhodar.

The IAEA teams of experts present at Ukraine’s Rivne, Khmelnitsky, South Ukraine NPPs and the Chornobyl site continue to report that nuclear safety and security is being maintained despite the challenging circumstances.

However, the IAEA teams at the Rivne and Khmelnitsky NPPs reported earlier this week that the mobile phone network had occasionally been disrupted in recent days. The teams were informed that the cause was a cyber attack on Ukraine’s communications network that affected most of the country. The IAEA experts were still able to carry out their work and communicate with headquarters in Vienna. Communications were also maintained between the NPPs, the national nuclear operator Energoatom and the state nuclear regulatory body. 

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund) have formally agreed to strengthen joint efforts in the area of nuclear science and technology for climate adaption and mitigation.

On the margins of this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and OPEC Fund Director General Abdulhamid Alkhalifa signed Practical Arrangements on Cooperation in the Area of Climate Adaptation to enhance collaborative efforts by both entities to develop and implement joint projects on climate adaptation.

Under the framework of the agreement, the OPEC Fund will support the establishment of a global seed bank to collect, store, and preserve seeds that have characteristics that can withstand new climate conditions, including seeds developed through application of nuclear techniques for plant breeding and soil and water management. The IAEA provides expertise and assistance in the application of nuclear techniques in these areas supporting climate-smart agriculture. By using nuclear techniques, such as plant mutation breeding, scientists can accelerate the natural evolution of plants using irradiation of seeds to help create new varieties with desirable traits adapted to climate change. Seed banks ensure these new varieties can be used in areas where crops are battling the effects of climate change throughout the globe.

The IAEA and the OPEC Fund have been collaborating since 1989, and the OPEC Fund has already provided more than 2.4 million dollars to IAEA activities in the fields of health and agriculture. Most recently, the IAEA worked with the OPEC Fund in 2018 to help improve rice harvests in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao PDR and Nepal, and to help prevent the spread of animal diseases through capacity building in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has for several days depended on a single power line for the off-site electricity it needs to cool its six reactors and for other essential nuclear safety and security functions, leaving it highly vulnerable to any further grid disruptions during the military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

The site’s fragile power supplies continue to be at the centre of concern regarding nuclear safety and security at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP), underlined by the site’s eighth complete loss of external electricity last Saturday after the separate connections to both of its remaining power lines were cut, apparently caused by external grid events outside the ZNPP.  As a result, the plant temporarily relied on emergency diesel generators for power.

It regained the connection to its main 750 kilovolt (kV) line after nearly five hours, but its last 330 kV back-up power line is still disconnected. The IAEA experts at the ZNPP have been informed that the repairs are expected to be completed by early next week. Before the conflict, the ZNPP had four 750 kV lines as well as several back-up options available.

The IAEA team also reported that reactor unit 4 – whose main cooling pumps briefly stopped running during last week’s external power loss – is once again in  hot shutdown mode producing heating and steam for the site and the nearby town of Enerhodar, where most plant staff live. The other five reactors remain in cold shutdown.

“The IAEA remains fully focused on doing everything it can to help prevent a nuclear accident during this devastating war. The repeated loss of off-site power at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, sometimes from causes at a considerable distance from the plant, remains one of our main challenges in this context, especially during the winter months. No one would gain from a nuclear accident and it must be avoided,” Director General Grossi said.

The ZNPP has also previously relied on one sole external power line, but it is clearly not a sustainable situation, Director General Grossi added.

Two days ago, a new team of IAEA experts crossed the frontline to replace their colleagues who had been monitoring nuclear safety and security at the ZNPP for the past several weeks. It is the fourteenth IAEA team at the site since the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to the ZNPP was established by the Director General in September 2022.

The new team of IAEA experts will continue to pay close attention to the staffing situation at the ZNPP, the status of the external power supply as well as maintenance activities at the site, including any actions the plant may take following last month’s detection of boron in the secondary circuit of a steam generator of unit 5. Borated water is used in the primary coolant to help maintain nuclear safety functions.

In a continuous reminder of the physical proximity of the conflict to the ZNPP, the IAEA experts continue to hear explosions in the distance, likely from heavy artillery and rockets. Today, the new team reported that they heard nine explosions closer to the site.

Also today, the IAEA team conducted a walkdown of the turbine halls of all six reactor units. The experts did not observe any mines, explosives, military equipment or vehicles in the areas they visited. Not all parts of the turbine halls were accessed so additional access would be required to fully assess whether there were any items present that could potentially impact nuclear safety.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, the IAEA experts present at the Khmelnitsky, 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 is continuing to support nuclear safety and security in Ukraine with the delivery of much-needed equipment and other technical assistance. Last week, the South Ukraine NPP received the third and final delivery of spare parts and rubber products for the site’s emergency diesel generators, ensuring their operational readiness if the site were to lose external power. The provision of this assistance was organized under a tripartite agreement between the IAEA, France and Ukraine’s nuclear operator Energoatom signed in May this year.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of experts stated that the operator of Units 3 and 4 of the Bohunice Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Slovakia has demonstrated a commitment to operational safety. The team also encouraged the operator to continue improvements in areas such as the implementation of its leadership academy and maintenance work.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) lost off-site power overnight and temporarily relied on emergency diesel generators for the electricity it needs to cool its 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 ZNPP lost the connection to both of its external power lines – the eighth time that Europe’s largest nuclear power plant suffered a complete off-site power outage during the military conflict, heightening concerns about nuclear safety and security.

The IAEA team of experts at the site reported that the ZNPP’s connection to its sole back-up 330 kilovolt (kV) power line was cut around 10:26pm local time yesterday due to an external grid fault. It was followed around five hours later by the loss of the plant’s sole 750 kV line, its main supplier of external electricity. The cause appeared to be in the outside grid far away from the ZNPP.

As a result, the site’s 20 diesel generators automatically started operating.  ZNPP staff then reduced the number in operation to eight diesel generators, enough to ensure that the plant’s six reactors – all of which are shut down – have enough power for essential cooling.

The affected 750 kV power line – the only remaining main power line at the ZNPP compared with four before the conflict – was re-connected shortly after 8am local time today. After the re-connection, the eight diesel generators that were operating are being gradually shut down. The power supply is currently being provided by the 750 kV line with no external back-up.

“The most recent external power outage is yet another reminder about the precarious nuclear safety and security situation at the plant, which can be affected by events far away from the site itself. The IAEA continues to do everything it can to help prevent a nuclear accident. I also call on all parties not to take any action that could further endanger the plant,” Director General Grossi said.

The operation of the four main coolant pumps of one of the ZNPP’s reactors – unit 4 – was interrupted during the time of the off-site power loss. The unit is now being brought from semi-hot shutdown back to hot shutdown to produce heating and steam for the site and the nearby town of Enerhodar, where most plant staff live. The other five reactors remain in cold shutdown.

It was the ZNPP’s first complete external power outage since May 22 this year.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The world needs nuclear power to fight climate change and action should be taken to expand the use of this clean energy source and help build “a low carbon bridge” to the future, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a landmark statement supported by dozens of countries at COP28 today.

Announced by Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi at a high-profile event of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, it was the first time such an IAEA statement was issued, its broad international backing underlining increased global interest in nuclear power to tackle the existential challenge of a rapidly warming planet.

The statement is a further indication of a new momentum for nuclear power as a source of reliable low carbon energy, needed also to meet growing electricity demand and achieve sustainable economic development.

“The IAEA and its Member States that are nuclear energy producers and those working with the IAEA to promote the benefits of peaceful uses of nuclear energy acknowledge that all available low emission technologies should be recognized and actively supported,” the statement read by Director General Grossi said.

“Net zero needs nuclear power,” it said. “Nuclear power emits no greenhouse gasses when it is produced and contributes to energy security and the stability of the power grid, while facilitating the broader uptake of solar and wind power.”

Today, 412 nuclear power reactors operating in 31 countries make up more than 370 gigawatts of installed capacity, providing almost 10 per cent of the world’s total electricity and a quarter of its low-carbon supply. Several countries – including Bangladesh, Egypt and Türkiye – are building their first nuclear power plants, while many others have also decided to introduce nuclear energy. In addition, existing nuclear power countries, including China, France, India and Sweden to name a few, are planning to expand their nuclear programmes.

“Studies confirm that the goal of global net zero carbon emissions can only be reached by 2050 with swift, sustained and significant investment in nuclear energy,” the statement said.

It underlined the importance of innovations in the nuclear sector such as small modular reactors that aim to make nuclear power easier to build, more flexible to deploy and more affordable. In addition, “continuous plant life management and refurbishment ensure the ongoing safety and reliability of our existing fleet, allowing it to provide decarbonized energy to the electric grid and other sectors,” the statement said.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, nuclear power has avoided the release of some 30 gigatonnes of greenhouse gases. It can also contribute to addressing climate change in areas apart from generating electricity, notably in helping to decarbonize district heating, desalination, industry processes and hydrogen production, the statement highlighted.

“Resilient and robust nuclear power has the potential to play a wider role in the quest towards net zero carbon emissions, while ensuring the highest level of nuclear safety and security,” it said.

Director General Grossi said that “achieving a fair and enabling investment environment for new nuclear projects remains an uphill battle. We are not at a level playing field, yet, when it comes to financing nuclear projects.”

“Analysts widely agree that nuclear power capacity will need to more than double by 2050 for current climate goals to be reached. We will need even more capacity to go beyond the electricity grid and decarbonize transport and industry,” he told the IAEA Board of Governors last month.

In a further step to enhance the prominence of nuclear power, leaders from around the world will gather in Brussels in March next year for the first-ever Nuclear Energy Summit, hosted jointly by the IAEA and Belgium.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts based in Ukraine reported about military activity overnight that once again underlined potential nuclear safety and security dangers during the armed conflict, and not just at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.

In western Ukraine, an IAEA team monitoring the situation at the Khmelnitsky Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) reported hearing several explosions in close proximity, over a 20-minute period late last night while in their quarters.

Even though the plant was not directly affected, the incident showed that all of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants remain at risk as long as the war continues, Director General Grossi said.

“Much of the world’s attention – and rightly so – is focused on the very real dangers facing the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, which is of special concern as it is located on the frontline. But last night’s event serves as a reminder that we must not forget about the other nuclear sites in Ukraine, which are also potentially exposed to missile and other attacks,” Director General Grossi said.

“All of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities remain vulnerable, either directly if hit by a missile or indirectly if their off-site power supplies are disrupted. There continues to be a highly precarious nuclear safety and security situation across Ukraine,” he said.

At the ZNPP today, the team also reported an air raid warning at the site that lasted for about ten minutes in the afternoon. There was no impact heard by the team during the air raid warning, and there was no damage to the site. Over the last 24 hours, the IAEA team has continued to hear the sound of explosions some distance from the plant.  

At the other Ukrainian nuclear facilities where the IAEA has permanent teams – the Rivne NPP, South Ukraine NPP and Chornobyl site – the IAEA teams did not report hearing any military activities.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The main power line supplying electricity to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has been restored after a sudden cut in the connection during the weekend, the latest reminder of the fragile nuclear safety and security situation at the site during the ongoing military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.

Underlining the potential dangers Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant is continuing to face, the IAEA experts present at the facility heard – for a second time in the past few days – the distinctive sound of several rockets that appeared to have been fired from close to the plant. Also today, the team heard multiple artillery rounds which also seemed to have been fired from near the ZNPP.

Director General Grossi said the apparent military action in the vicinity of the plant could heighten the nuclear safety and security risks at the site and potentially undermine the five concrete principles for the protection of the ZNPP that he presented at the United Nations Security Council in May earlier this year.

“I call on all sides to exercise utmost restraint at or near the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. No one would gain a military advantage from causing a nuclear accident during this terrible war, on the contrary,” he said. “The troubling events of recent days – with rockets launched from close to this major nuclear power plant – are further deepening our nuclear safety and security concerns.”

In a separate development, the ZNPP’s single remaining 750 kilovolt (kV) power line is again able to deliver the external electricity the plant needs for reactor cooling and other essential nuclear safety and security functions. The connection was lost on Sunday morning after a short circuit that reportedly occurred around 100 kilometres north of the site, but the power line connection was restored later the same evening.

During the time when the 750 kV line was disconnected, the ZNPP received off-site electricity from the only remaining 330 kV back-up power line. This means that there are once again two independent power lines essential for delivering external power to the plant.

“The plant’s vulnerable off-site power supplies remain one of our main concerns when it comes to nuclear safety and security in Ukraine. As we have experienced multiple times, including last winter, attacks far away from the site can cause severe disruptions in the electricity grid that also serves the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. All military action that could endanger nuclear safety and security must be avoided,” Director General Grossi said.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) lost the connection to its main off-site power line today, forcing it to rely on back-up electricity for reactor cooling in the latest incident underlining the precarious nuclear safety and security situation at the site during the ongoing military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.

Separately today, the IAEA experts present at the ZNPP heard several rockets that appeared to have been fired from close to the plant. The IAEA team did not see the projectiles because of clouds but the distinctive sound indicated they were fired from a Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) nearby.

“Today’s events once again clearly demonstrate the extremely fragile nuclear safety and security situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. Europe’s largest nuclear power plant – located on the frontline – continues to face many potential threats as a result of this tragic war,” Director General Grossi said.

“I remain deeply concerned about nuclear safety and security at the plant, both when it comes to its vulnerable off-site power supplies – which can be affected by attacks far away from the site – and the more direct military risks it is facing, potentially undermining the principles that I set out at the United Nations Security Council in May. In this context, the apparent firing of rockets from near the plant is a special source of concern,” he said.

The ZNPP said a short circuit that occurred around 100 kilometres north of the plant caused the cut in the connection to its sole remaining 750 kilovolt (kV) power line – out of the four that existed before the conflict – at around 10:30am local time.

The plant continues to receive external power from its only available 330 kV back-up power line. However, one emergency diesel generator also started operating to supply reactor unit 4 after the power loss, indicating a possible issue with its electrical configuration. The diesel generator was manually shut down after ten minutes.

The plant said the 750 kV line is being repaired but it was not clear when it will be reconnected.

The ZNPP has lost external power supplies repeatedly during the conflict, including seven complete loss of off-site power events. On each of those occasions, the operation of emergency diesel generators at the site was required to provide the electricity needed by the plant for vital nuclear safety and security functions, including reactor cooling. The connection to the 750 kV line was last lost on 10 August, when the line disconnected and was reconnected twice on the same day.

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts observed an emergency exercise conducted at  Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) this week, the latest such drill in the country’s nuclear facilities during the military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.

Thursday’s exercise focused on actions that should be taken in response to a hypothetical break of a pipe containing radioactive wastewater and the disconnection of power from one reactor unit.

The IAEA experts followed the two-hour exercise from the ZNPP’s temporary emergency centre, observing the coordination of emergency response actions. They also observed field activities during the exercise, including radiation and contamination monitoring as well as preparations for the evacuation of some plant staff. After the exercise was completed, the IAEA team observed the standard debriefing. Overall, the IAEA experts said the exercise scenario was carried out as planned.

Last week, the IAEA team based at Ukraine’s Rivne Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) observed an emergency exercise at that site. Also this week, the IAEA team at the Chornobyl site observed an emergency drill at the radioactive liquid waste treatment plant.

“Having effective emergency preparedness and response arrangements is one of the seven indispensable pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security in an armed conflict. It is vital that the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant tests its emergency response arrangements. We encourage  the plants in Ukraine to conduct more exercises in future to further test their emergency preparedness,” Director General Grossi said.

The ZNPP has throughout the conflict been at the centre of the IAEA’s concerns about nuclear safety and security in Ukraine. It is located on the frontline and has lost all off-site power as many as seven times. Director General Grossi told the IAEA Board of Governors on Wednesday that the situation at the plant remained challenging, with six out of the seven pillars of nuclear safety and security during an armed conflict “compromised either fully or partially”.

Earlier this week, the ZNPP’s unit 5 reached cold shutdown, leaving one of the plant’s six reactors in hot shutdown to produce steam and heating. The plant decided to move the unit from hot shutdown after boron was detected in a secondary cooling circuit, albeit at levels below the limits set by its technical specifications. No radioactivity has been detected in the secondary cooling circuit. Borated water is used in the primary coolant to help maintain nuclear safety functions.

After the cold shutdown state was reached at unit 5, the ZNPP informed the IAEA team that it will not immediately investigate the cause of the presence of boron in the secondary cooling circuit of one of the unit’s steam generators. The IAEA experts will continue to monitor this issue during its discussions with ZNPP and walkdowns of the plant. 

The IAEA experts are also continuing to gather information to fully understand why unit 6 temporarily lost power on 14 November and relied on a diesel generator for 90 minutes. They held multiple discussions on this issue with the ZNPP’s electrical department this week.

Unit 4 remains in hot shutdown to provide steam for nuclear safety related activities at the ZNPP and also for heating at the site and the nearby town of Enerhodar, where most plant staff live. Additional heating is provided by mobile diesel boilers installed at the ZNPP together with boilers located in the nearby industrial zone. Reactor units 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 are now in cold shutdown.

Elsewhere in Ukraine, the IAEA experts at the Chornobyl site have successfully conducted a planned rotation today, with a new team arriving from headquarters in Vienna.

The IAEA teams at the Khmelnitsky, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs and the Chornobyl site report safe and secure operations of these nuclear facilities despite the continuation of the conflict.