Atomic agency to establish permanent presence at Ukrainian nuclear plants

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will establish a continuous presence of nuclear safety and security experts at all of the country’s nuclear power plants as part of stepped-up efforts to help prevent a nuclear accident during the current armed conflict.

This was announced in the general statement of Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, published following his meeting in Paris with Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on December 13. 

Ukraine’s Energy Minister, Herman Haluschenko, also participated in the meeting.

During their meeting on the sidelines of the international conference on December 13 organized by France to organize aid for Ukraine amid the approaching winter, the sides also discussed setting up a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), where the IAEA deployed a permanent expert mission more than three months ago. 

“While we are not yet there and more work is required, I’m increasingly optimistic that such a zone – which is of paramount importance – will be agreed and implemented in the near future,” Director General Grossi said after the talks. “I will continue my high-level consultations in the coming days – both with Ukraine and Russia – with the clear aim to get this done as soon as possible. We can’t afford to lose more time.”

As agreed by Grossi and Prime Minister Shmyhal in Paris, the IAEA will press ahead with plans to establish a continued Agency presence at the four sites.

“Our mission at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant has shown the vital importance of the IAEA being there to monitor the situation and give technical advice. Thanks to this presence, the IAEA is providing the world with impartial, technical and factual information about developments on the ground,” Director General Grossi said.

“We have now agreed with the government of Ukraine to further expand and strengthen the IAEA’s nuclear safety and security role in the country. This is especially important at a time when Ukraine’s energy infrastructure is facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the war and in the middle of the winter,” he said.

When referring to difficulties, the IAEA team at the ZNPP also reported on December 13 that the plant had lost its connection to the 330 kilovolts (kV) back-up power line to the electricity grid, stating it was not immediately clear what had caused the disconnection. The ZNPP, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, continues to receive the electricity it needs for essential safety and security functions from a 750 kV main external power line.