Two Ukrainian NPPs operate at reduced capacity for 10 days due to Russian attack
18 November 00:51
Two Ukrainian nuclear power plants – Khmelnytsky and Rivne – have been operating with restrictions for more than ten days after a military strike damaged a critical electrical substation. This was stated by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in a regular update on the situation in Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
According to the IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, this is due to the fact that the Russian shelling damaged an electrical substation critical to nuclear safety and security.
“Today, while one of the damaged lines has been restored, the other remains down. The three reactors continue to operate at limited capacity at the request of the grid operator,” the IAEA said.
Why substations are critical for nuclear power plants
Electric substations are key nodes in the power system where voltage is transformed and regulated for stable electricity transmission.
For nuclear power plants, their importance is even higher: they provide the external power necessary for the operation of safety systems and reactor cooling. Any damage to such facilities increases nuclear safety risks.
What happened
On the night of November 7, one of the substations was damaged by shelling. After that: Khmelnytsky and Rivne NPPs each lost one of their two 750-kV power lines.
The power system operator ordered a number of reactors to reduce their output.
As of today, one line has been restored, while the other is still down.
Three reactors continue to operate at reduced power.
“Stable external power supply is a critical factor for maintaining nuclear safety systems. The IAEA experts will continue their missions to assess the condition of these substations,” said Rafael Grossi.
Situation at Zaporizhzhya NPP
Zaporizhzhia NPP remains connected to the grid after repairs carried out under the localized ceasefire agreed by the IAEA.
In October and ten days ago, repair crews were able to restore two external power lines.
This allowed for the resumption of maintenance of the plant’s safety systems.
However, the 750-kV Dniprovska line was again disconnected on Friday evening due to a protection system failure.
The reasons for the outage are being investigated.
The IAEA is in discussions with both parties to ensure that the line is restored as soon as possible.
Assistance program to Ukraine: what has been delivered so far
The IAEA continues to implement a large-scale program to support nuclear safety and security in Ukraine.
In recent weeks, the following items have been delivered:
- Equipment for Mykolaivoblenergo
electrical cabinets
circuit breakers
arresters and other elements to ensure stable power supply to the NPP.
The supply was made with the support of Austria, France, Germany, Italy and the EU.
- 12 radiation monitoring stations for the South Ukrainian NPP
They will be integrated into the international IRMIS system and provide continuous monitoring of the radiation situation.
The supply is funded by the EU.
- Equipment for radioactive waste management
IT equipment for the Central Radioactive Waste Management Enterprise.
An off-road vehicle for the Chornobyl NPP.
Funding was provided by the United Kingdom.
In total, since the beginning of the full-scale war, the IAEA has organized 174 deliveries of aid worth more than €20.5 million.
