The IAEA experts present at the Khelmnitsky, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs and the Chornobyl site reported that nuclear safety and security is being maintained despite the effects of the ongoing conflict, including air raid alarms on several days over the past week.
The IAEA experts at the South Ukraine NPP recently went to the shelter in their hotel after hearing small arms fire nearby. They were later informed that there had been military action in the region, but that it had not targeted the hotel or the plant.
Planned maintenance and refuelling activities continue at two of the three units of the South Ukraine NPP and one of the four units at the Rivne NPP. The IAEA experts at the Chornobyl site had safely rotated at during the previous week.
As part of the IAEA’s efforts to support Ukraine in maintaining nuclear safety and security during the armed conflict, the Agency has arranged two new deliveries of equipment to the country. It brings the total number of deliveries to 51 since the start of the conflict.
The Rivne NPP recently received auxiliary equipment important for nuclear safety. Separately, the Public Health Centre of the Ukrainian Ministry of Health received gamma spectrometers to enhance its analytical capacity to monitor radionuclides in the environment at laboratories located in the cities of Khmelnisky, Rivne, Kirovohrad, Kherson, Uzhorod and Mykolaiv. This assistance was supported through the extra-budgetary contributions of Canada, Japan, South Korea and the UK. In total during the conflict, nuclear safety- and security-related equipment worth €9.8m ($10.5m has so far reached various organisations in Ukraine.
