Six Ukrainian reactors reduce power following military campaign

The International Atomic Energy Agency has reported that Ukraine's operating nuclear power plants reduced electricity production yesterday morning as a precautionary measure following widespread military activities across the country that reportedly targeted its energy infrastructure.

The affected nuclear plants are the two-unit Khmelnytskyi, the four-unit Rivne, and the three-unit South Ukraine, according to IAEA director general Rafael Mariano Grossi.

Status: Although the plants were not directly impacted and did not shut down, several electrical substations on which they depend suffered further damage during the strikes, said Grossi, who cited information from Ukraine's national regulator. The main power lines from four of the substations were disconnected.

At the time of the IAEA's reporting, only two of the country's nine operational reactors were generating electricity at 100 percent capacity.

Inspections: IAEA teams visited seven substations-located outside the plants across the country-in September and October to assess the damage from attacks in August and will assess whether further visits are required following the current military activities, said Grossi, who spoke to the head of the national regulator about the impact of the attacks.

The IAEA teams based at the plants heard air defense activities and sought shelter during the air raid alarms. At the Khmelnytskyi plant in northwestern Ukraine, the IAEA team heard a loud explosion. At the Rivne plant in the far northwest, two 330 kilovolt power lines were unavailable, the team there reported.

Reliability: The IAEA noted that plants need reliable connections to the grid to transmit the electricity they produce and to receive off-site power for reactor cooling. The increasing fragility of the grid has been one of the main challenges for nuclear safety and security throughout the armed conflict.

Of the nine currently operational reactors at the three plants, six reduced output during the morning, ranging from just over 40 percent of maximum capacity to above 90 percent. Only two of the reactors were operating at 100 percent capacity, with one in shutdown for maintenance. All plants continued to receive off-site power.

"The country's energy infrastructure is extremely vulnerable, directly impacting nuclear safety and security," Grossi said. "We are still assessing the full extent of the damage. At this critical time, I reiterate the importance of adhering to the seven indispensable pillars for nuclear safety and security during the conflict, in particular pillar four that states there must be a secure off-site power supply from the grid for all nuclear sites."