IAEA has released a statement by Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi on the situation in Ukraine following new disruptions to the power system caused by military action.
This was announced by the Committee on Energy, Housing and Utilities Services.
According to the IAEA, last week the Ukrainian energy system suffered from significant damages. Power lines connecting Ukraine with neighbouring countries were disconnected, leading to cascading blackouts within the country. Due to fluctuations in the grid, one power unit of a nuclear power plant automatically disconnected from the power system, while other power units at various nuclear power plants were forced to reduce their output.
In addition, a complete loss of external power supply was recorded at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. For about an hour, the facility operated using emergency diesel generators.
The IAEA emphasises that the deterioration of the power grid poses additional risks to nuclear safety and security. The Agency's Director General stressed the need for large-scale repairs to improve the reliability of power supply to Ukraine's nuclear power plants and strengthen their resilience to further failures.
Separately, in Kyiv, further IAEA support for the operation of nuclear power plants in conditions of unstable power system operation was discussed.
According to Rafael Mariano Grossi, these facts further confirm the impact of military actions on the functioning of nuclear safety systems.
The full text of the IAEA statement is available at the link.