IAEA chief warns of nuclear risk from Russia attacks on Ukraine power grids

IAEA chief warns of nuclear risk from Russia attacks on Ukraine power grids

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog has raised concerns about the impact of Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s power grid’s continued risk of nuclear accidents.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief, Rafael Grossi, arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday and warned of the severe consequences of strikes on substations and other infrastructure that could disrupt the entire energy system.

After inspecting an electricity distribution substation, Grossi wrote on X that “I’m at Kyivska electrical substation, which is crucial to Ukrainian nuclear safety.”

“A nuclear accident can result from a direct attack on a plant, but also from power supply disruption”.

Moscow has constantly bombarded Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, including substations, throughout its three-year invasion, although it has avoided direct strikes on Ukraine’s nuclear plants.

Grossi documented his visit to the substation along with Energy Minister German Galushenko in photos posted on Instagram.

He announced that he would travel to Russia later this week to talk about the situation in Ukraine and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is being occupied by Russia.

Russia captured the plant, Europe’s biggest nuclear power station, soon after its forces went into Ukraine in February 2022.

“It’s essential that I, in the discharge of my obligations, keep channels of communication constantly”, Grossi told a news briefing.

Grossi’s trip to Kyiv will include meetings with senior leaders to ensure nuclear safety during the ongoing conflict, according to the IAEA.

Growing reliance on nuclear energy

Ukraine is now reliant on nuclear power for more than half of its electricity generation after three years of relentless Russian strikes on its power grid. That is accomplished by three actual nuclear power plants in the nation.

Important processes, including the cooling of reactors, can be impacted by power supply disruptions in nuclear plants. Experts warn that can have devastating consequences.

In addition to observing nuclear plants, Ukraine and the IAEA agreed in September that experts from the organization would also keep an eye on the situation at crucial Ukrainian substations.

Nuclear switchyards that are located outside the country’s nuclear power plants are viewed as a particularly vulnerable link in the energy chain.

“If two]nuclear switchyards] are hit, we are out of supply for a minimum of 30 to 36 hours, and there will be a huge limitation on energy supply for at least three weeks, best-case scenario”, said Oleksandr Kharchenko, a Ukrainian energy industry expert.

Meanwhile, the continued risks posed by Russian attacks have heightened scrutiny of Energy Minister Galushchenko.

Current and former Ukrainian officials have accused Galushenko of failing to act quickly despite more than a year of warnings that the sites are vulnerable to potential Russian attacks.

Source: Aljazeera

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