Concern of ENSREG and IAEA for the safety of Ukrainian nuclear power plants

In a statement issued at the end of the periodic meeting held in Brussels, which was also attended by a representative of the Ukrainian Nuclear Safety Authority (SNRIU), the ENSREG (European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group), of which ISIN is a part, expressed firm condemnation and concern for the safety of the Zaporizhzhia power plant following the recent bombings of 19-20 November and also the possible consequences on the safety of other power plants of the massive attacks on the electricity grid that occurred on 15 and 23 September.

ENSREG fears that, following the military attacks by the Russian Federation on nuclear power plants and electrical infrastructures, there could be accidents with significant releases of radioactivity, with possible effects also outside the borders of Ukraine and therefore requests that immediately created a protection zone around the Zaporizhzhia plant.
Fully supporting the ongoing action to this end by the Director General of the IAEA, the European body strongly requests that the instruments of international law be strengthened to prohibit any armed attack on nuclear facilities intended for peaceful use; strongly requests that the Russian Federation immediately cease all attacks against the Zaporizhzhia plant and against the other Ukrainian plants, making it possible for the Ukrainian Security Authority to regularly carry out its control activities on the sites.
Meanwhile, the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) has published a speech by Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi who, while also recalling the absolute importance of establishing a protection zone around nuclear plants, points out that for the first time military attacks resulted in the loss of external power supply of all four Ukrainian power plants, Rivne, South Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia and Khmelnitskyy, which are now forced to rely only on emergency power supply provided by diesel generators to ensure the perform the necessary safety functions.

The full text of the ENSREG Statement is available at: https://www.ensreg.eu/news/ensreg-statement-ukraine-24-november-2022
The IAEA video is available at the website: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/multimedia/videos/dg-grossi-statement-on-ukraine-24-11-2022