On the current situation in Ukraine

Source: picture alliance / SULUPRESS.DE | Marc Vorwerk/SULUPRESS.DE

On this page you will find a chronological overview of recent information concerning the nuclear safety of Ukraine's nuclear facilities...

03.07.2024

Following information from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), employees of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant were injured by renewed drone attacks in the vicinity of the site. The attacks also caused forest fires. The IAEA experts stationed in Zaporizhzhya reported no direct impact on the plant itself for the time being. IAEA Director General Grossi emphasised that drone attacks represented a clear danger to the local population and to the nuclear safety of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, and once again called for them to be stopped. (Source: IAEA)

27.06.2024

Last week, an external radiation monitoring station at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant site was destroyed by shelling and fire. The failure significantly limited the ability to detect and measure off-site radioactive releases in an emergency, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said on Thursday. With the loss of the monitoring station, which is located about 16 kilometres southwest of the power plant, four of a total of 14 such stations within a 30-kilometre radius of the power plant are currently unavailable. "The loss of one radiation monitoring station does not have a direct impact on safety at the ZNPP, but it forms part of a continuous erosion of a range of safety measures during the war that remains a deep source of concern," said Grossi.

Off-site radiation monitoring is essential to the safety of nuclear facilities. In the event of an emergency, such systems support the early detection and rapid assessment of ongoing and potential radiological impacts and the protective measures that may need to be taken. (Source: IAEA)

23.05.2024

The 750 kV power line at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant was once again temporarily interrupted on Thursday afternoon. The site was reliant on the only remaining 330 kV reserve line for more than three hours before the main power connection was restored. The IAEA warned that the recent increase in attacks on the power supply infrastructure in Ukraine once more highlighted the risk to the Zaporizhzhya NPP and the country's other operating nuclear power plants. An interruption to the external power supply could have very serious consequences for nuclear safety at all plants. (Source: IAEA)

15.04.2024

All reactor units at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant are now in cold shutdown mode for the first time since 2022. Unit 4 was the last of the six units to be put into this operational state on Saturday 13 April 2024, following the end of the winter heating period in the region. The Zaporizhzhya NPP had already stopped electricity generation in September 2022. However, at least one of the six units had been kept in hot shutdown since October 2022 to provide district heating and process steam for the treatment of liquid waste. At the beginning of this year, four new diesel superheated steam generators were commissioned at the site to supply steam for waste treatment. Reactor unit 4 remained in hot shutdown mode until 13 April 2024 to supply the nearby town of Enerhodar with district heating.

The cold shutdown is advantageous in terms of safety, as the reactors require less cooling water in this state. In case the heat removal system is interrupted, there is also an additional response margin of several days before cooling of the nuclear fuel in the reactor might be challenged.
Despite the positive measure, the IAEA emphasises the serious dangers to which the nuclear power plant continues to be exposed. Just last week, the plant had been the target of several drone attacks. (Source: IAEA)

08.04.2024

The IAEA reports that the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia was attacked by several combat drones on Sunday. This was the first time Europe's largest nuclear power plant had been the direct target of a military operation since November 2022. The IAEA team stationed on site reported superficial scorching marks on top of the Unit 6 reactor dome, and cracks in a concrete slab supporting the primary fresh water tanks. At this stage, however, there was no evidence of damage to critical nuclear safety or security systems at the site. “This is a major escalation of the nuclear safety and security dangers facing the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. Such reckless attacks significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident and must cease immediately,” Director General Grossi said. (Source: IAEA)

22.03.2024

The operator organisation of the Zaporizhzhya NPP announced that the external 750 kV power line connecting the NPP, which is occupied by Russian troops, to the Ukrainian power grid was disconnected during a large-scale missile attack on Ukraine early this morning. This means that Europe's largest nuclear power plant is now supplied with electricity only via the 330 kV reserve power line. This line had only recently been repaired after being out of service for several weeks. This outage had also been due to damage caused by Russian shelling. "Such a situation is extremely dangerous and threatens to lead to an emergency. If the last remaining line linking the facility to the national power grid is disconnected, ZNPP will get into another blackout, which is a serious violation of the conditions for the safe operation of the plant," CEO of the Ukrainian operator organisation Energoatom Petro Kotin stressed. (Source: ENERGOATOM)

According to a statement by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the main power line of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, which had been disconnected on Friday morning, was restored on the same day. This means that the power plant is once again connected to the Ukrainian power grid via a 750 kV line and a 330 kV reserve line. In addition, 20 emergency diesel generators are available at the site in case of an emergency. (Source: IAEA)

01.03.2024

Two years into the open war of aggression against Ukraine and the almost equally long occupation of the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant by Russian troops, the situation on the ground remains critical. The IAEA security staff stationed there recently reported increased fighting and explosions in the vicinity of the power plant. The reserve power line intended to ensure an external power supply in the event of another failure of the power plant's main power connection had only recently been interrupted again. "I remain deeply concerned about the nuclear safety and security situation at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, located on the frontline of the war. The reports of our experts indicate possible combat action not far away from the site," said IAEA Director General Grossi.

Meanwhile, the IAEA teams stationed at Ukraine's other nuclear power plants - Rivne, Khmelnytskyi and South Ukraine - reported that these three plants were still operating despite frequent air alerts. Problems with nuclear safety at the three sites have not been reported. The team at the Chernobyl site has recently reported increased military activity in the area. (Source: IAEA)

04.01.2024

The IAEA inspectors are still unable to gain access to all parts of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. In the past two weeks, they were denied access to the reactor halls of units 1, 2 and 6 for the first time, the IAEA announced. The team has also been waiting for access to the reactor roofs since 19 December. At the time, the inspection did not take place due to security concerns.

In the meantime, further measures have been taken to improve the safety of the electricity and heat supply to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. To this end, the availability of a reserve power line for connection to the power grid was extended, and the number of mobile diesel boilers for generating additional hot steam was increased. (Source: IAEA)

16.11.2023

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a total of 21 gas-powered boilers have been installed at the industrial zone nearby the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya. The measure is intended to provide additional heating capacity during the winter, including for the nearby town of Enerhodar. The team from the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission in Zaporizhzhya (ISAMZ) confirmed that the new boilers can provide an additional 57 megawatts of heating. In addition, nine mobile diesel-powered boilers are in operation to provide additional heating at the Zaporizhzhya NPP. The aim is to satisfy the heating requirements of the power plant and the city of Enerhodar with fossil-fuelled units entirely, so that all of the power plant's reactors can be transferred to a cold shutdown state, thus contributing to nuclear safety at the site. Two of the six reactors are currently in a hot shutdown state to generate heat for heating, wastewater treatment and other safety functions. (Source: IAEA)

30.10.2023

Violent explosions rocked an area near the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant in Ukraine during the night of 25 October. The nuclear power plant Chmelnyzkyj has two reactors – one is in full operation, the other one has been switched off as planned since the beginning August. The power supply to some external radiation monitoring stations was temporarily interrupted. The plant operator announced that the shock waves had also damaged the windows of several buildings, including the passage to the reactor buildings. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said this once again highlighted the dangers to nuclear safety during the ongoing military conflict. "The fact that many windows on the site were destroyed shows how close it was. We may not be so lucky next time," said Director General Grossi. "An attack on a nuclear power plant must be avoided at all costs." After thorough investigation the IAEA declared on Friday that no interferences of nuclear safety and the safety oft he plant had been found out. (Source: IAEA IAEA)

24.10.2023

The IAEA reported that an additional reactor at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant site was placed in a "hot shutdown" state on 16 October. Reactors No. 4 and No. 5 are now in this hot subcritical state, while the remaining four are kept in a cold subcritical state. The reason for the measure was the increased demand for superheated steam during the winter months. In addition to the treatment of liquid radioactive waste, the heat is mainly needed to heat building parts as well as the nearby town of Enerhodar. All reactors at the site have been shut down for safety reasons since September 2022 and do not produce any electricity. In order to further increase the safety of the NPP in a contested region, there are also plans to provide an external supply of superheated steam. This would then allow all six reactors to be returned to a cold subcritical state. According to the IAEA, this improvement option could probably be implemented at the beginning of next year. Smaller diesel-powered superheated steam generators have already been in use since last year. (Source: IAEA)

05.10.2023

Unit 4 of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, which had been transferred to a cold subcritical state for repair work in August 2023, was transferred to hot standby operating mode on 30 September 2023. The Zaporizhzhya NPP is now using reactor unit 4 to generate steam for various safety functions again. In turn, reactor unit 6, which had taken over steam generation during this period, was returned to cold subcritical operation. According to IAEA information, the Zaporizhzhya NPP had meanwhile ordered the necessary equipment to set up an alternative source for the necessary steam generation. Provided there are no delays in delivery, the corresponding installation will follow in the first half of 2024. This will make it possible to keep all six reactors in a cold shutdown state. (Source: IAEA, IAEA)

30.09.2023

According to IAEA information, another groundwater well has successfully been drilled. This means that the Zaporizhzhya NPP currently has 11 new wells, which serve as alternative water sources for reactor cooling and other safety functions following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam about four months ago. The 11 wells supply about 250 cubic metres per hour that, according to site estimates, would be enough to maintain the level of all 12 sprinkler cooling ponds. (Source: IAEA)

08.09.2023

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported increased military activity around Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which is occupied by Russian troops. The activity could pose a potential threat to nuclear safety at the site, Director General Rafael Grossi said. Since last Saturday (2/9/23), the IAEA team had heard about two dozen explosions within three days, followed by several more in recent days. There had been no damage to the plant itself. (Source: IAEA)

22.08.2023

A newly constructed groundwater well was put into operation at the site of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhya. Plans are also underway to build more wells in the coming months. The measure is intended to contribute to the stable water supply for the nuclear power plant and the sufficient cooling of its six reactors. The site's fresh water supply situation had deteriorated drastically with the drop in the water level in the adjacent Kachowka reservoir following the destruction of the Kachowka dam on 6 June. (Source: IAEA)

14.08.2023

On 10/08/2023, the main power line of the Zaporizhzhya NPP was interrupted twice, and for several hours each time, before being restored in the evening of the same day. As a result, the NPP had to rely on the only remaining external back-up power line during those hours. There was no total failure of the external power supply and no need to use emergency diesel generators.
Furthermore, the IAEA reported that reactor unit 4, which had only recently been transferred to a hot subcritical state, had had to be returned to a cold subcritical state after a water leak had been detected at one of the unit's four steam generators. There had been no radiological release into the environment.
Meanwhile, unit 6 was to be moved to a hot subcritical state to provide superheated steam, while all other units are to remain in a cold subcritical state. (Source: IAEA, IAEA)

04.08.2023

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has announced that, following requests over several weeks, IAEA staff at the Zaporizhzhya site were granted access to the rooftops of reactor units 3 and 4 and the turbine halls. No mines or explosive devices were found. The IAEA is still waiting for access to the corresponding building parts of the remaining four units.

It was also reported that a transfer of unit 5 from a hot to a cold subcritical state had been successfully completed after unit 4 had previously been transferred from its cold to a hot subcritical state. This measure aims to facilitate maintenance work on the 5th unit, with one further unit available to supply the plants with superheated steam. All other units remain in cold subcritical condition. (Source: IAEA; IAEA)

24.07.2023

IAEA experts have discovered anti-personnel mines in the buffer zone between the inner and outer perimeter of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhya. This was contrary to the IAEA's safety standards and guidelines on nuclear safety, said IAEA Director Rafael Grossi. Although the IAEA's initial assessment is that "any detonation of these mines should not affect the site’s nuclear safety and security systems.", the presence of such explosives creates additional psychological pressure on plant personnel. (Source: IAEA)

07.07.2023

On 4 July, the IAEA reported a failure of the single main 750 kV line at the Zaporizhzhya NPP. The line was repaired and put back into operation the same day. In the meantime, the power plant's electricity needs were met by a 330-kV back-up power line, which had only been restored on 1 July after a four-month outage.
“This time the plant avoided a complete loss of all external power [...], but the latest power line cut again demonstrates the precarious nuclear safety and security situation at the plant,” IAEA Director General Grossi said. The external power supply to the Zaporizhzhya NPP has already failed completely seven times since the conflict began, he said. (Source: IAEA, IAEA, IAEA)

05.07.2023

Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have so far not detected any visible indications of mines or explosives at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. This was confirmed by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi. The IAEA team had inspected parts of the plant over the past days and weeks. The experts have asked for additional access, especially to the rooftops of reactor units 3 and 4, as well as to parts of the turbine halls and some parts of the plant's cooling system. Director General Grossi stressed the importance of fully inspecting all parts of the nuclear plant, following conflicting statements and allegations about the military situation at the site in recent days. (Source: IAEA)

16.06.2023

IAEA Director General Raffael Grossi visited the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine yesterday. “I believe that we have gathered a good amount of information for an assessment of the situation and we will continue permanently monitoring the situation there in order to help prevent a nuclear accident,” Grossi said in a short video message at the end of his third visit to the Zaporizhzhya NPP. (Source: IAEA-Twitter)

06.06.2023

Fighting in the Kherson region yesterday resulted in the destruction of the Nova Kakhova dam. The level of the Kakhovka reservoir, which supplies cooling water to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, dropped during the day. However, the facility had back-up facilities and there was no short-term risk to nuclear safety, said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. There was a preparedness for such situations at the nuclear power plant, he said. "But, clearly, this is making an already very difficult and unpredictable nuclear safety and security situation even more so," Grossi said. (Source: IAEA)

30.05.2023

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has urged Ukraine and Russia to adhere to five principles for the protection of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhya. Among other things, the nuclear power plant should not be attacked, and no attacks ought to emanate from it. The plant should not be used as a base for heavy weapons or for the stationing of military personnel. The safety situation at the Zaporizhzhya NPP remains "extremely fragile and dangerous", the IAEA Director General stressed. (Source: IAEA)

23.05.2023

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant was without power for several hours on Monday morning. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said this underlined the extremely precarious nuclear safety situation at the plant. It was the seventh time since the military conflict in Ukraine began 15 months ago that Europe's largest nuclear power plant was cut off from the national grid. Grossi said the plant had once again been forced to rely on emergency diesel generators to provide the power needed for reactor cooling and other essential nuclear safety and security functions. "For more than two and a half months, this major nuclear power plant has only had one functioning external power line. This is an unprecedented and uniquely risky situation" the IAEA Director General said. (Source: IAEA)

06.05.2023

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant have received information that the announced evacuation of the nearby town of Enerhodar - where most of the plant's staff live - has begun. They are monitoring the situation for possible nuclear safety and security implications, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today. Operating staff remain on site. Grossi expressed deep concern about the increasingly challenging conditions for staff at Europe's largest nuclear power plant. "The IAEA will continue to do everything it can to help ensure nuclear safety and security at the plant," he said. The director of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, Yuri Chernichuk, has publicly stated that operational staff will not be evacuated, and that everything necessary will be done to ensure nuclear safety at the plant, whose six reactors are all in shutdown mode. (Source: IAEA)

24.04.2023

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant have heard shelling almost daily over the past week, and were once told to seek shelter because of the potential dangers posed by ongoing military activity in the region, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.

Underlining the serious risks to nuclear safety and security that Europe's largest nuclear power plant (NPP) faces during the military conflict, Grossi said: "I saw clear indications of military preparations in the region during my visit to the Zaporizhzhya NPP just over three weeks ago. Since then, our experts on the ground have frequently reported hearing detonations, sometimes indicating intense shelling near the power plant. I am deeply concerned about the situation at the power plant." (Source: IAEA)

31.03.2023

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated in Zaporizhzhya that his recent visit to the Ukrainian nuclear power plant had reconfirmed the seriousness of the nuclear safety situation. Grossi said he remained determined to continue his diplomatic efforts to protect the power plant. On Monday, he had also discussed the safety of Europe's largest nuclear power plant in a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the city of Zaporizhzhya. In addition, Grossi indicated that he would soon travel to Russia again for further talks.

Grossi's visit included another exchange of IAEA experts, who have been on site for seven months as the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ISAMZ). They will continue to monitor the situation, provide technical advice and report to IAEA headquarters. (Source: IAEA)

28.03.2023

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi will visit the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant this week. It will be his second visit since beginning of the war between Russia and Ukraine. According to IAEA reports, Grossi wants to see for himself how the situation has developed since his first visit in September. The visit in autumn 2022 marked the beginning of the permanent stationing of an IAEA expert team at the facility. "Although we have been on site for seven months now, the situation [...] is still precarious. The dangers to nuclear safety and security are all too obvious, as is the need to act now to prevent an accident with possible radiological consequences for the human health and the environment in Ukraine and beyond. I am therefore continuing to work on a proposal to protect the plant”, Grossi said. (Source: IAEA)

24.03.2023

The last remaining 330 kV reserve power line at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which had been damaged on 1 March, remains disconnected. This once again underlines the precarious safety situation at Europe's largest nuclear power plant, said International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. For the past three weeks, the nuclear power plant has received off-site electricity from the remaining 750 kV main power line only. Although all six reactors at the Zaporizhzhya NPP are in shutdown, two of them in hot shutdown, the plant needs the external power supply to perform essential nuclear safety and security functions. (Source: IAEA)

10.03.2023

According to IAEA information, the Zaporizhzhya NPP lost its connection to the national grid via the 750 kV main line in the early morning of 9 March 2023. The only remaining 330 kV branch line had already been damaged a few days ago. Eight diesel generators currently supply the plant with electricity, and another 12 diesel generators are in standby mode. According to the IAEA, the fuel supply on site is sufficient for about 15 days. This is the sixth time since the start of the Ukraine war that the Zaporizhzhya NPP has been without power, and is operating in emergency mode. (Source: IAEA)

09.03.2023

A power supply failure at the Zaporizhzhya NPP on 9 March 2022 was resolved. However, the Zaporizhzhya NPP had to rely on emergency diesel power for 11 hours to ensure reactor cooling and other functions required for safety. The emergency diesels were not switched off until the connection to the national power grid via the 750 kV main line had been restored. The IAEA expressed its deep concern about the repeated power outage at the Zaporizhzhya NPP, and will continue its efforts to prevent further dangerous situations for nuclear facilities in Ukraine. (Source: IAEA)

03.03.2023

A long-awaited rotation of IAEA experts was carried out at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) today. Today’s successful rotation was of major importance for the future of the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhya (ISAMZ), Director General Grossi said. The precarious nuclear safety and security situation was once again highlighted yesterday, when the ZNPP’s only remaining 330 kilovolt (kV) back-up power line was disconnected for a third time in less than a week, probably due to shelling on the other side of the Dnipro river, the ISAMZ team reported. (Source: IAEA)

01.03.2023

In February 2023, the Ukrainian nuclear regulatory authority SNRIU suspended the operating licence for the power operation of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant for (because of?) safety reasons until further notice. All six reactor units must therefore remain in shutdown mode until the licence is renewed. Europe's largest nuclear power plant has been occupied by Russian troops since March 2022, but continues to be operated by Ukrainian staff. Fighting and grenade attacks have occurred repeatedly in the vicinity of the power plant, and power plant infrastructure such as power lines and auxiliary buildings have been damaged on several occasions. All of the power plant's reactors have been in shutdown mode since September 2022. The plant is dependent on a functioning power supply for cooling and to maintain the safety systems. Due to repeated failures of the external power supply, the systems repeatedly had to rely on emergency diesel generators for hours or days at a time. (Source: Energoatom)

26.01.2023

According to IAEA experts, powerful explosions have been occurring outside the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, indicating military activity near the facility, Director General Rafael Grossi said yesterday. He reiterated the importance of establishing a Nuclear Safety and Security Protection Zone around the plant. The six reactors at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant remain shut down.
(Source: IAEA)

20.01.2023

Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi spoke with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv yesterday about stepping up IAEA activities to secure nuclear facilities in Ukraine in the context of the military conflict. Several permanent IAEA nuclear safety and security expert missions were established at all Ukrainian nuclear power plants this week. Grossi's proposal to establish a safety and security protection zone around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant was also part of the talks. (Source: IAEA)

07.01.2023

According to the Internatioal Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the backup power supply to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was restored after repairs were completed on the 330-kilovolt line that had been damaged by shelling. The repair work on the last functioning external backup power line ensures that external power can continue to be provided for essential nuclear safety functions in the case of loss of the regular main power line. The facility's power supply remains vulnerable, said IAEA Director General Mariano Grossi. (Source: IAEA)

02.01.2023

A back-up power line to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant was damaged by shelling on 29 December. This incident once again underlines the plant's fragile power supply from the grid, said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. The nuclear plant, whose six reactors are all in shutdown, continues to receive the electricity needed for reactor cooling and other essential functions from the plant's only remaining operational external power line. (Source: IAEA Update 138)

2022

29.12.2022

According to the IAEA, diplomatic efforts to establish a safety and security protection zone around Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant are making headway. The IAEA stated that there had been a hours-long meeting between Director General Rafael Grossi and senior Russian government officials in Moscow, including Alexey Likhachev, Director General of the Russian state nuclear company Rosatom. Although in recent weeks there had been less military activity around the nuclear plant, a protective zone was still considered necessary. “As we have experienced several times before during the war in Ukraine, the situation can take a sudden – and dramatic – turn for the worse at any moment. The plant is located on an active frontline in the middle of a large-scale war" Director General Grossi said, according to the IAEA release. (Source: IAEA Update 137)

13.12.2022

As the IAEA reports, missions were carried out in the past weeks at the Ukrainian nuclear power plant sites in Rivne, Southern Ukraine and Khmelnytskyi as well as in Chernobyl. The nuclear safety and security status of the plants was reviewed during these missions, and further needs for support and equipment were identified. Following on from the missions, a permanent presence of specialised IAEA staff at the sites is envisioned for the future. IAEA Director General Grossi and Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmyhal came to this agreement at a meeting on Tuesday. Such a permanent deployment of IAEA experts has already been in place at the Zaporizhzhya site since September. The IAEA is still seeking to establish a demilitarised nuclear safe zone for the power plant there. "We are making progress in our negotiations with Ukraine and Russia, and I am confident that the zone can be agreed and implemented soon. It is urgently needed," Grossi commented in a press release. (Sources: IAEA Update 136; IAEA Update 135; IAEA Update 134)

24.11.2022

According to the IAEA, external power has been restored to Ukraine’s.. Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) a day after it lost access to the external power supply. Work is also underway to restart reactors at the Rivne, Southern Ukraine and Khmelnytsky sites, which had been shut down following severe damage to the Ukrainian power grid, and which have since relied on diesel generators to supply power. (Source: IAEA)

In a video message on Thursday, IAEA Director General Grossi announced that IAEA experts had now been deployed to the Ukrainian NPP sites in Rivne, Southern Ukraine and Khmelnytsky as well as Chernobyl to monitor the situation on site, and to support the operators and the Ukrainian supervisory authority in ensuring nuclear safety of the plants. Such a mission has been ongoing at the Zaporizhzhya site since the beginning of September. (Source: IAEA)

23.11.2022

According to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has once again lost connection to the external power supply. The plant is relying on its emergency diesel generators for the power it needs for reactor cooling and other nuclear safety and security functions. Citing Ukraine's state-owned power utility Energoatom, the IAEA also stated that the Rivne, South Ukraine and Khmelnytsky NPPs had been automatically shut down due to a frequency drop in the power grid. (Source: IAEA)

20.11.2022

According to the IAEA, buildings, systems and equipment at the site of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant were damaged due to repeated shelling on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Some of the explosions had occurred near the reactors, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said. "Once again we were fortunate in that there was no potentially serious nuclear incident. We may not be so lucky next time. We must do everything in our power to ensure that there will be no next time," said Director General Grossi, reiterating his call for urgent safety measures to protect the NPP. (Source: IAEA)

16.11.2022

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported yesterday that there had been an emergency power situation at Ukraine's Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant on Tuesday evening following the destruction of all external power lines. The two reactors of the power plant in the west of the country had been shut down, and diesel generators had provided emergency power to the plant overnight. Two back-up lines connecting to the Ukrainian power grid were repaired on Wednesday morning, and the external power supply was restored. According to IAEA information, the two reactors at the Khmelnytskyi site remained in shutdown mode for the time being. (Source: IAEA)

14.11.2022

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says it will send safety missions to the three operating nuclea power plants in Ukraine and to the Chernobyl site in the coming weeks. An agreement has been reached between the Ukrainian government and the IAEA to send safety experts to the power plants in southern Ukraine, Khmelnytsky and Rivne, as well as to Chernobyl. A team of IAEA experts is already permanently stationed at the Zaporizhzhya site. (Source: IAEA)

05.11.2022

On 5 November 2022, the IAEA reported that external power had been restored to Zaporizhzhya NPP following a two-day interruption. Both external power lines, a 750 kilovolt (kV) line and a 330 kV back-up line, which had been damaged in the night of 3 November, were repaired. The diesel generators that had served to bridge the power gap were consequently switched off again on Friday (source: IAEA).

03.11.2022

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the power connection to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has been interrupted since Wednesday. The emergency generators automatically kicked in to supply the necessary power. According to the Ukrainian operator organisation Energoatom, the diesel reserves at the site can provide emergency power supply for about 15 days. IAEA President Rafael Grossi described the latest development as "extremely worrying". "Measures are needed to prevent a nuclear accident at the site," Grossi said. In addition, the IAEA President reiterated the call to establish a nuclear safety and security protection zone around the Ukrainian nuclear power plant (Source: IAEA).

03.11.2022

Following allegations from the Russian side that Ukraine was developing radiological weapons ("dirty bomb") for use in war, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspected three research and production sites in the country last week. The international monitoring mission could not find any evidence of such undeclared activities or undeclared radiological material. According to the IAEA, the inspection team was granted full access to the facilities by Ukraine, and all planned verification measures were carried out without hindrance. IAEA Director General Rossi also reiterated that the relevant technical staff would be available for further inspections at any time if necessary. (Source: IAEA)

18.10.2022

According to the IAEA, Zaporizhzhya NPP was reconnected to its 750-kilovolt power line, which had been interrupted yesterday, after almost 18 hours (Source: IAEA).

17.10.2022

According to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, the Zaporizhzhya NPP has once again lost connection to its last remaining functioning 750-kV power line. However, the NPP continues to receive power from the grid through a backup system. According to Ukrainian nuclear power plant operator Energoatom, the line had been interrupted due to the shelling of a substation that is part of the grid's power transmission system and is located far from the power plant itself.

ZNPP's connection to this power line was interrupted for the third time over the last ten days, highlighting the power plant's precarious electricity situation due to the war in Ukraine (Source: IAEA).

12.10.2022

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), power has been restored to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant a few hours after it was disconnected from the grid for the second time in less than a week (Source: IAEA).

09.10.2022

Engineers at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) were able to restore external power today. According to the IAEA, the 750 kV line that had been damaged by shelling over the weekend was repaired. The plant’s six reactors are in cold shutdown but still require power for cooling and other essential nuclear safety and security functions. It was thus possible on Sunday to switch off the emergency diesel generators that had been running since Saturday (Source: IAEA).

08.10.2022

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant was cut off from its external power supply following renewed shelling. Director General Rafael Grossi described the attacks as "tremendously irresponsible". He said the nuclear power plant had been relying on diesel-powered emergency generators to cool the fuel rods since Saturday. According to the IAEA, the diesel generators have fuel for ten days (Source: IAEA).

27.09.2022

As reported by the IAEA, shots and explosions were again reported from the site of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, breaking the windows of a turbine hall. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, in a statement on the incident, called for the establishment of a nuclear safeguards and protection zone around the Ukrainian nuclear power plant for the second time (Source: IAEA).

21.09.2022

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports that renewed shelling of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant early on Wednesday morning resulted in damage to a cable supplying power to one of the six reactor units. The reactor had to temporarily rely on emergency diesel generators to provide the power needed for essential safety functions (Source: IAEA).

19.09.2022

Ukraine informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about the shelling of the South Ukraine (also Pivdennoukrainsk) nuclear power plant: According to the operator, a missile had exploded in the immediate vicinity of the NPP in the early morning of 19 September 2022. The reactors of the nuclear power plant are still operating normally, and the staff was not injured. The operator also said the NPP remained connected to the power grid. (Source: IAEA)

13.09.2022

According to the IAEA, the third back-up power line to Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) was made available again following repair work. is aproviding the plant with renewed access to a third back-up power line. The 150 kilovolt (kV) line connects ZNPP to a nearby thermal power plant. This means that all three back-up power lines to the ZNPP have been restored over the past few days. One of them, a 750/330 kilovolt (kV) line, is now providing the ZNPP with external electricity. The 330 kV and the 150 kV lines are being held in reserve. All the ZNPP’s six reactors are in a cold shutdown state, but they still require power to maintain necessary safety functions (Source: IAEA).

12.09.2022

As the IAEA announced yesterday, a back-up power line from the Zaporizhzhya NPP to the neighbouring coal-fired power plant has been restored. This means that the nuclear power plant is once again connected to the Ukrainian power grid, and the functioning of the external power supply for the cooling system and other safety systems of the six reactors can be guaranteed once again. Meanwhile, the power plant's only operating reactor, which had maintained the supply to safety-related systems since the external power line was interrupted on 5th September, has been shut down. (Source: IAEA)

06.09.2022

An IAEA expert mission to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine began on 1 September. IAEA Director General Grossi travelled to the power plant together with several IAEA staff members, to check the nuclear safety and security of the facilities there. On site, the IAEA experts were able to gain an overview of the extent of the war-related damage to the plant, the situation of the power plant staff and the proper functioning of the safeguards systems, among other things.

In a press conference on 2 September, Grossi spoke about the first results of the mission. In particular, he assessed the safeguarding of the physical integrity of the facilities as well as the working conditions of the staff, the external power supply situation and the possibilities of radiation monitoring and emergency preparedness on site as partly very critical. He also pointed out war-related deficits in the functioning of safety and security systems, the stability of necessary supply chains and the communication between operating staff and the nuclear supervisory authority. He described the overall situation on the ground as "extremely complex and extremely challenging". He promised the IAEA’s continued support.

Six IAEA staff members remained on site until 5 September for further work. Four of them left the facility as planned yesterday, while two of the IAEA experts are to remain in Zaporizhzhya for as long as possible and necessary (Sources: IAEA Press Conference Director General; IAEA).

05.09.2022

According to an IAEA report, the remaining back-up power line connecting the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant to the Ukrainian power grid has also failed as a result of a fire triggered by further shelling on 5 September. The four regular high-voltage lines had already been damaged and interrupted previously as a consequence of the war. The power plant's electricity needs for cooling and safety equipment are currently covered by the only reactor unit still in operation. As soon as the fire is extinguished, the connection to the power grid can be restored (source: IAEA).

03.09.2022

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant has lost connection to its last remaining external main power line once again. However, the plant is continuing to supply electricity to the grid via a backup line, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) learned on site today (Source: IAEA).

01.09.2022

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team gained access to the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant on Thursday. On Wednesday, the 14-member IAEA inspection team had arrived in the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhya in southern Ukraine. The nuclear power plant is located about 50 kilometres away from the town of Enerhodar in territory controlled by Russian troops. The inspectors thus had to cross the front line. The area around the power plant has recently been shelled several times, for which Kiev and Moscow blamed each other (Source: IAEA).

29.08.2022

A team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has set off for Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. The mission under his leadership would arrive at Europe's largest nuclear power plant "this week at the latest", IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi announced on Twitter.

The situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant remains unclear: in recent weeks, the area around the plant had been shelled repeatedly, with Ukraine and Russia blaming each other for the attacks. According to Ukrainian sources, the nuclear power plant had been completely disconnected from the electricity grid for the first time in its history on Thursday. On Friday, the connection was said to have been restored. (Source: IAEA).

25.08.2022

Ukraine had informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant today had temporarily lost connection to the last functioning 750 kV external power line, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said, underlining the urgent need for an IAEA expert mission to travel to the plant. Two reactors at the plant, which had still been in operation, had been automatically shut down as a result of the incident, he said. The plant's safety systems continue to function (Source: IAEA).

23.08.2022

Ukraine has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that renewed shelling in recent days has caused additional damage in the area of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Ukraine told the IAEA that the shelling on Saturday (20 August) and Sunday (21 August) had damaged the nuclear power plant's infrastructure, including laboratory and chemical facilities, according to Director General Grossi. In addition, Ukraine said that the shelling on Monday (22 August) had damaged the transformers of the nearby thermal power plant, causing the power line to be interrupted for several hours. It was restored the same day (source: IAEA).

14.08.2022

In a joint statement in Vienna, 42 states and the EU have called for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from the occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. Russia violated the safety principles that all members of the International Atomic Energy Agency have committed to uphold (Source: EEAS).

12.08.2022

Ukraine has informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of renewed shelling near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, further underscoring the major nuclear safety risks at Europe's largest such facility, according to Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.

According to Ukraine, the latest incident - following the previous week's shelling of the nuclear plant - occurred on Thursday afternoon (11 August) and caused damage, including of radiation monitoring equipment at the plant's fire station. Ukraine also initially reported that a planned shift rotation had to be stopped, but the IAEA later said that staff rotations had returned to normal. Ukraine added that there were no casualties at the plant, and that safety systems were not damaged (source: IAEA).

09.08.2022

The Ukrainian regulatory authority SNRIU and the nuclear power plant operator Energoatom reported on Friday that the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant had been shelled, with several artillery shells hitting the immediate vicinity of the plant. A high-voltage line and auxiliary equipment in adjacent buildings were damaged. The emergency protection system of one of the power plant's three operating reactors was triggered and the reactor was shut down. The reactors themselves were not damaged and there was no leakage of radiation (source: IAEA).

01.08.2022

IAEA Director Grossi has drawn explicit attention to the dangerous situation at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. He said that "most, if not all" of the principles necessary for the safe operation of a nuclear facility had been violated.

• The IAEA defines seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety and security. These seven pillars are:
• The physical integrity of the facilities must be maintained;
• All safety and security systems and equipment must be fully functional at all times;
• The operating staff must be able to fulfil their safety and security duties and have the capacity to make decisions free of undue pressure;
• There must be secure off-site power supply from the grid for all nuclear sites;
• There must be uninterrupted logistical supply chains and transportation to and from the sites;
• There must be effective on-site and off-site radiation monitoring systems and emergency preparedness and response measures; and
• There must be reliable communications with the regulator and other agencies.

Due to the disregard and violation of these pillars, Grossi said the situation was "extremely serious and extremely grave and dangerous". He pressed for cooperation from Russia as well as Ukraine to restore nuclear safety at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. (Source: IAEA, AP).

25.06.2022

According to the Ukrainian nuclear regulatory authority SNRIU, the neutron source in Kharkiv came under fire over the weekend. External damage occurred, including damage to the emergency diesel generator. However, the radiation levels are within the normal range. An overview of the damage can be found following the link at the beginning of this article (source: SNRIU).

12.06.2022

The IAEA announced on 12 June that the transmission of safeguards data from the Zaporizhzhya NPP to the IAEA, which had been interrupted since 30 May, had been resumed. Ukraine had also informed the IAEA that eight reactor units were currently in operation: two at the Zaporizhzhya site, three in Rivne, two at the Southern Ukraine site and one in Khmelnytsky. The seven other reactors were shut down for maintenance or held in reserve (source: IAEA).

11.05.2022:

On 11 May 2022, the IAEA announced that remote monitoring of the safeguards systems at the Chernobyl site had been fully restored. This is the first time since the beginning of March that data transmission of all such systems at nuclear facilities in Ukraine has been fully functional again (source: IAEA).

02.05.2022:

Following the visit of its delegation, the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] published a summary report (IAEA Ukraine Report 24.2.-28.4.2022) on the situation of nuclear facilities in Ukraine on 28.4.2022. With regard to the Chernobyl NPP [nuclear power plant], it states that the failure of the external power supply on 9 March 2022 did not have any safety-relevant effects. The increase in radiation levels in the exclusion zone due to contaminated dust being raised by military vehicles was assessed as low. In addition, the IAEA is verifying a report by the Ukrainian regulatory authority SNRIU claiming that a Russian missile had flown directly over the South Ukraine NPP on 16 April 2022 (Source: IAEA).

25.04.2022:

The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, will head an expert mission to Ukraine’s Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) next week.The team of IAEA nuclear safety, security and safeguards staff will be in Chernobyl from 26 April to deliver equipment and conduct assessments at the site. (Source: IAEA)

19.04.2022:

Ukraine informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today that direct communications had been restored between the national regulator and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Such contact had been lost over a month ago when Russian forces had seized the site. (Source: IAEA)

10 April 2022:

Ukraine has informed the IAEA of the first staff rotation at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in three weeks, and only the second since late February. The previous change of on-duty staff, which had been the first since the Russian military entered the site, had taken place on 20-21 March. (Source: IAEA).

07 April 2022:

According to the IAEA, drone footage provides evidence that Russian troops built trenches in the contaminated area near Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant. (Source: IAEA)

01 April 2022:

Ukraine informed the IAEA that all Russian forces had left the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl NPP. This was also confirmed by the Russian side. In addition, the IAEA is preparing a "relief mission" for the Chernobyl NPP. (Source: IAEA)

31 March 2022:

The IAEA has been unable to confirm reports of Russian forces receiving high doses of radiation while in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. The IAEA is seeking further information in order to provide an independent assessment of the situation. (Source: IAEA)

31 March 2022:

The IAEA announces that it was informed by the Ukrainian side about the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chernobyl. Control of the nuclear power plant has been transferred to Ukrainian personnel and two Russian troop convoys have been moved to Belarus. In addition, Ukraine reported that there are still some Russian forces on site. Ukraine has not reported any staff rotation at the Chernobyl NPP since 20-21 March. (Source: IAEA)

29 March 2022:

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has travelled to Ukraine for talks with senior government officials about the safety and security of nuclear facilities in the country. Grossi said he would work to ensure that the seven indispensable pillars for ensuring safety and security are adhered to. In recent weeks, several of them – including the physical integrity of facilities, the ability of operational staff to work without undue pressure, and the access to off-site power – have been seriously compromised. (Source: IAEA)

28 March 2022:

The Ukrainian regulatory agency SNRIU reported on 27/3/22 that minor building damage had occurred as a result of fighting near the nuclear research facility in Kharkiv (which has been in "deep subcritical condition" since 24/2/22). The external power supply has not yet been restored, but the radiological situation is within the normal range. (Source: Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) (only in German))

24 March 2022:

Several wildfires were successfully extinguished in the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The Ukrainian nuclear supervisory authority informed the IAEA that the fire brigade of the city of Chernobyl had extinguished four fires. On 22 March, the Ukrainian parliament had reported seven fires, with an area of more than two square kilometres in flames. The Ukrainian authorities had informed the IAEA last week that the situation in the exclusion zone of the former nuclear power plant was being closely monitored, as spontaneous fires may occur in the area at this time of year. (Source: IAEA)

20 March 2022:

Around half the staff at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) was finally able return home after four weeks of work, thanks to a long-delayed staff rotation during the weekend. (Source: IAEA)

15 March 2022:

Ukraine informed the IAEA that the Chernobyl NPP was re-connected to the Ukrainian electricity grid. (Source: IAEA)

The research reactor in Kharkiv was also re-connected to the power supply, according to a notification from the Ukrainian nuclear regulator SNRIU. (Source: Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) (only in German))

14 March 2022:

Ukraine informed the IAEA that the Chernobyl nuclear power plant was disconnected from the electricity grid again, after the line had reportedly been damaged by Russian forces. (Source: IAEA)

13 March 2022:

The Ukrainian Ministry of Energy reported that the connection to the external power grid at the Chernobyl NPP site had been restored.

Energoatom (Ukraine) and Rosatom (Russia) confirmed to the IAEA that staff from the Russian energy provider Rosatom had arrived at the Zaporizhzhya site.

12 March 2022:

The IAEA reported that data connectivity had been restored at the Zaporizhzhya site. (Source: IAEA)

11 March 2022:

On its website, the Ukrainian regulatory authority SNRIU listed the Kharkiv research reactor as disconnected from the power grid. (Source: Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) (only in German))

09 March 2022:

According to the Ukrainian electricity grid operator, the Chernobyl site has been disconnected from the electricity grid and lost its supply of external power. At this point, however, BMUV and BfS do not see an acute risk of radioactive substances being released from the spent fuel storage facility there. The Ukrainian emergency response authority said that emergency power supply was ensured for the time being.

04 March 2022:

According to information from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a fire broke out early Friday at a training facility at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant after fierce fighting. The fire was extinguished the same morning (04 March, 2022). According to the IAEA, there has been no data connection to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant since the afternoon of 09 March 2022. The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUV) and the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) are monitoring the situation in Ukraine with a special focus on the nuclear power plants, and will provide information on relevant developments.

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