The International Atomic Energy Agency carried out five deliveries of equipment and other technical assistance during the week of 7 April as it continued to focus on helping Ukraine prevent a nuclear accident during the military conflict said IAEA director general Rafael Grossi during an Update on the situation on 1 April.
Since the beginning of the conflict more than three years ago, the IAEA has now organised a total of 125 such shipments to 29 counterparts in Ukraine, including its nuclear power plants (NPPs), the national operator Energoatom, the country’s regulator, technical support organisations and laboratories, emergency services, organisations handling radioactive material, and health centres offering medical care to plant personnel and others.
“This technical support is an important component of the IAEA’s overall efforts aimed at ensuring nuclear safety and security in Ukraine. We will continue to provide such critical assistance to Ukraine, prioritising areas where it is most urgently needed, thanks to the generous donor support,” DG Grossi said.
In recent days, the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology received equipment to enhance nuclear security at the site, the South Ukraine NPP received a whole body radiation counter to monitor internal exposures of its operating staff, and USIE Izotop – which manages radioactive material intended for medical, industrial and other purposes – received a forklift to support the safe handling and transport of radioactive material.
These deliveries were provided with funding from Japan, the United Kingdom and the European Union. Since the start of the conflict, equipment worth almost 17 million euros has so far reached Ukraine. The IAEA is preparing further assistance for delivery.
At Ukraine’s nuclear sites, frequent air raid alarms and the sound of explosions in the distance continued to highlight persistent risks to nuclear safety. On the night of 9 April, according to information from the site, eight drones were detected flying within 4 km of the South Ukraine NPP.
At the Khmelnytskyy and Rivne NPPs, one reactor at each site remains in shutdown for refuelling. On 5 April, two units at the Rivne site had to temporarily reduce their power output due to grid limitations, highlighting the ongoing difficulties caused by the fragile energy infrastructure.
