IAEA chief warns of heightened nuclear safety risks after Russian strikes on critical substations

Russian strikes targeted four critical substations at Ukrainian nuclear power plants on November 16 and November 17, raising serious nuclear safety concerns, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi reported during a board meeting.

Grossi stressed that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost its connection to its sole 750-kilovolt power line twice in recent days, exacerbating its vulnerability.

"All six reactors remain in cold shutdown and the Agency’s continued stipulation is that no reactor is to be re-started as long as the nuclear safety and security situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP remains in jeopardy," Grossi said.

The South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant also experienced disconnections from its primary power lines on November 21 due to maintenance but continued to operate using backup systems.

"The growing instability of the power grid is a deepening source of concern for nuclear safety, affecting all the nuclear power plants," Grossi said.

On November 17, Grossi reported that Ukraine's nuclear power plants cut power production on Sunday morning as a precautionary measure after the Russian attack.

On November 21, the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP was on the verge of blackout due to Russian shelling for the second time in a week.