The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will further expand its assistance to Ukraine by taking a more proactive stance to protect the status of vital energy infrastructure to ensure it does not impact nuclear safety. This follows a number of missile attacks that have either directly caused the disconnection of several nuclear power reactors, or led to dangerous instability of the national grid, Director General of IAEA Rafael Grossi said after meeting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, Report informs, citing IAEA.
This follows a number of missile attacks that have either directly caused the disconnection of several nuclear power reactors, or led to dangerous instability of the national grid, Grossi added.
An IAEA expert team will soon travel to some of the damaged Ukrainian sub-stations – electrical switchyards forming the backbone of the grid – that have been identified as essential for nuclear safety. They will assess the situation at these sites and report back to headquarters for possible follow-up actions.
“The safety of operating nuclear power plants is dependent on a stable and reliable connection to the electricity grid. As a result of the war, the situation is becoming increasingly vulnerable and potentially even dangerous in this regard. I agreed with President Zelenskyy that the IAEA will widen its determined activities to help prevent a nuclear accident during the conflict and look closer at this important aspect of nuclear safety and security,” Director General Grossi stated.
“Our experts will apply the agency’s nuclear industrial safety and critical infrastructure protection expertise to assess these sub-stations,” he also mentioned.
In Kyiv, Director General Grossi also agreed with President Zelenskyy that the IAEA will provide technical support and nuclear safety advice for Ukraine’s plans to purchase equipment from the interrupted Bulgarian project in Belene for the Khmelnytskyy NPP. This will help Ukraine ensure that this ongoing project continues in accordance with safety standards.