Ukrainian move: IAEA concerned about Kursk nuclear power plant

Following the nuclear power plants in Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is now concerned about the Kursk nuclear power plant. As Ukrainian units have advanced into areas close to the nuclear power plant, the IAEA is warning that the safety of the nuclear facilities must be guaranteed.

The Kursk nuclear power plant is located near Kurchatov, about 35 kilometers west of the city of Kursk. The scope and exact objectives of the Ukrainian advance across the border since Tuesday are unclear. According to media reports, the Ukrainian units have penetrated about 30 kilometers deep into Russian territory; the Kursk nuclear power plant is located about 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

Four reactors at the nuclear power plant are of the RBMK-1000 type, two of which are currently shut down. In addition, two VVER-510s are currently under construction. The Russian National Guard has been stepping up protection of the nuclear plant in the town of Kurchatov since Wednesday. According to the construction company Atomstrojeksport, some of the workers who are building the two new reactors there have been temporarily withdrawn from the nuclear power plant.

Problems at other nuclear power plant sites

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi called on both sides to adhere to the rules for nuclear safety in conflict zones. There are reports of "significant military activities" in the region, Grossi said in Vienna. "At this time, I would like to appeal to all sides to exercise maximum restraint to avoid a nuclear accident with potentially serious radiation consequences."

Recently, IAEA inspectors stationed in the immediate vicinity of Zaporizhzhya, Europe's largest nuclear power plant, which has been occupied by Russia since March 2022, have observed several fires. One of these fires - caused partly by the drought and partly by fighting - occurred under the last two connections of the nuclear power plant to the Ukrainian national grid. However, the 750 kV main line and a 330 kV reserve line were not damaged. It had previously been reported that the level in the cooling basin of the nuclear power plant was continuing to fall.

At the sites of the Ukrainian nuclear power plants in Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, southern Ukraine and Chernobyl, IAEA delegates repeatedly reported air alarms due to nearby fighting. The operation of the plants in Khmelnytskyi and Rivne had been impaired by the repeated Russian attacks on Ukraine's grid infrastructure, and in some cases individual units had had to reduce their output due to restrictions on grid capacity, the IAEA reported.

(anw)