The IAEA noted that this situation, following new Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, has further jeopardized nuclear safety against the backdrop of the war.
For the second time in less than two weeks, nuclear power plants in Khmelnitsky, Rivne and South Ukraine cut power levels “as a preemptive step” during a massive Russian attack with missiles and drones, Grossi said.
At the same time, air raid alarms sounded in three places, he said.
In addition, Grossi added, two IAEA teams in Ukraine were forced to seek shelter during the airstrike.
Power reduction at reactors and nuclear safety risks
It is noted that there are a total of nine reactors at operating nuclear power plants in Ukraine, and all have reduced power.
A reactor at the Rivne nuclear power plant was also disconnected from the grid. Meanwhile, the nuclear power plants continued to receive external electricity, although the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant site “lost connection to two of its power lines.”
“Ukraine’s energy infrastructure is extremely fragile and vulnerable, which puts nuclear safety at great risk. I again demand maximum military restraint in areas with large nuclear power plants and other facilities on which they depend,” Grossi stressed.
The impact of Russian attacks on substations
Amid the massive Russian attack on November 28, there were no reports of direct damage to the nuclear plant. At the same time, the Ukrainian side informed the IAEA that the strikes again affected electrical substations that nuclear power plants use to both transmit and receive electricity off-site.
Those substations, identified by the IAEA as critical to nuclear safety, were damaged in previous attacks, particularly in August, the agency noted.
IAEA teams visited 7 off-site substations in Ukraine in September and October to assess the situation following the Russian strikes in August. Then “extensive damage” was discovered.
As Grossi said last week, IAEA officials then concluded that the network’s ability to provide reliable power to Ukraine outside the nuclear plant site “has been significantly reduced.”
“The IAEA will continue to assess the extent of damage to facilities and power lines important to nuclear safety. The IAEA will continue to do everything in its power to reduce the risk of a nuclear incident during this tragic war,” the agency’s director. General said on November 28.
“The Fragile Power Grid”
Nuclear power plants require reliable connections to the grid both to distribute the electricity they produce and to receive external energy to cool the reactor.
The IAEA points out that the increasing “fragility of the power grid” was one of the biggest nuclear security concerns during the armed conflict.
“The Director-General has repeatedly emphasized the importance of adhering to the seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety, one of which states that all nuclear facilities must have a secure off-site power supply from the grid,” the IAEA adds.
A massive Russian attack on Ukraine on November 28
Let us remind you that the Russian invaders launched a total of 188 missiles and attack drones over Ukraine during a combined attack on the night and morning of November 28. The target of enemy shelling was energy facilities in Ukraine.
As the leadership of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said, thanks to the work of the air defense managed to shoot down 76 cruise missiles and 35 attack drones.
After a massive Russian attack, problems with the power supply began in a number of regions of Ukraine. Read more about the consequences of enemy shelling in our separate material.
Let us add that the head of energy programs at the Razumkov Center, Vladimir Omelchenko, said in a comment to RBC-Ukraine that The occupiers tried to shut off the nuclear power plants from Ukraine’s energy system with the help of massive shelling. According to him, the enemy only partially succeeded in this.
