IAEA General Manager Rafael Grossi said The power grid was again targeted by military activities last weekend, significantly impacting several regions and nuclear power plant operations.
Power cables down
The fighting disconnected electricity cables connecting Ukraine to neighboring countries, disrupting supplies within Ukraine.
As a result, fluctuations caused a unit at one nuclear power plant to be disconnected from the grid and automatically shut down, while other units at other plants were forced to reduce power.
The Chernobyl location – where the world’s worst nuclear disaster occurred in 1986 – experience a complete loss of external power and relied on the emergency diesel generators for about an hour.
‘Always present risks’
“This latest grid event in Ukraine is a This is a stark reminder of the ever-present risks to nuclear safety and security posed by deteriorating grid conditions”, said Mr Grossi.
He stressed that extensive repairs are needed to improve the reliability of nuclear power plants’ power supply and strengthen their resilience.
“Once again I call for maximum military restraint, as well as full compliance with the Seven indispensable pillars to make these essential repairs possible.”
Seven safety principles
The IAEA developed the Seven Pillars for Nuclear Security in Ukraine in March 2022, just weeks after the war began – the first time ever that an armed conflict took place amid the facilities of a major nuclear energy program.
Measures include maintaining the physical integrity of facilities, ensuring external power supply from the energy grid and implementing effective radiation monitoring systems.
Operating staff must also be able to fulfill their safety and security duties and make decisions without undue pressure.
Essential inspections
As military activity increases, impacting Ukraine’s power grid, three IAEA teams carry out a two-week mission visiting 10 substations critical to nuclear safety and security.
The aim is to map the ongoing damage to the electricity grid, assess repair efforts and identify practical steps to strengthen the resilience of external power supplies for nuclear power plants.
This is the second IAEA mission in as many months. A mission last December confirmed the effects of the cumulative impacts on nuclear power plant operations and personnel conditions.
The WHO calls for funding to protect healthcare
The World Health Organization (WHO) looking for $42 million by 2026 to help protect access to healthcare 700,000 people in Ukraine, as the war enters its fifth year. The appeal aims to maintain emergency and trauma care, maintain essential primary services and support medical evacuations for patients requiring specialized treatment.
Ongoing hostilities continue to undermine the healthcare system. Since the beginning of 2022, WHO has more than verified 2,800 attacks on healthcarewhile repeated attacks on energy infrastructure have disrupted power supplies, affecting hospitals and clinics across the country.
Healthcare needs are also increasing. More than two-thirds of Ukrainians report poorer health than before the war, with mental health problems affecting almost half of the population, according to the WHO. Despite the risks, health workers continue to provide care in hard-to-reach areas on the front lines.
“Ukraine’s humanitarian healthcare needs remain immense, and the pressure on the healthcare system is not easing,” said Dr. Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative to Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of maintaining essential services as funding becomes increasingly limited.
Last year the WHO almost helped two million people access to care, medicines and emergency assistance, including through more than 1,200 medical evacuations from frontline areas.
#war #Ukraine #nuclear #safety #razors #edge #watchdog #warns