The IAEA board of governors will meet Friday to discuss nuclear safety in Ukraine. Several countries, led by the Netherlands, expressed “growing concern” over risks at Ukrainian power plants. The meeting comes amid repeated attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure by Russian forces.
Energy supply to Ukraine’s nuclear plants has been disrupted multiple times since Russia’s invasion. Last week, the Chernobyl plant temporarily lost all off-site power. Officials warn that such outages pose severe risks to nuclear safety and could lead to disaster.
Read more: IAEA calls for ‘security’ zone at Ukraine’s nuclear plant
Europe’s largest nuclear facility, Zaporizhzhia, remains under Russian occupation since March 2022. Its six reactors are shut down, but electricity is still needed for cooling and security systems. Military activity in early January damaged the last backup power line, prompting a localised ceasefire for repairs.
IAEA members said in a letter that the latest attacks caused “significant additional damage” to infrastructure essential for nuclear operations. Thirteen countries urged the board to act, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the growing risks. Both Moscow and Kyiv blame each other for endangering the plant.
Read more: Russia claims stability at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
The IAEA meeting will review developments and consider measures to prevent a nuclear accident. Experts stress that maintaining stable power and safety systems at Ukrainian plants is critical. International observers continue to monitor the situation closely.