IAEA to expand inspections to include electricity substations powering Ukraine nuclear power plants

(3 Sep 2024)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kyiv, Ukraine - 3 September 2024
1. Various of IAEA staff
2. Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, arriving for news conference
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency: ++INCLUDES SEVERAL ANGLES++
"Some of the - not stations - but some of the power lines had been affected. And we indicated already at that time that this was a risk for the plant. A blackout in a nuclear power plant is a very serious thing. And when you look at the source of the problem, which is what we are trying to do, not at the switchyard that is there, but from where the energy is not coming any more, and why this is happening and whether there is an issue that can be evaluated to give advice, and also to indicate to the international community what our view is on this situation. So, the IAEA, could or should be looking also at the substations, at the critical substations, in the country that have been subject to pressure or attacks - in the sense that they are also linked to nuclear power plants. And we think this is relevant and we are going to be making an evaluation of the situation in some of these substations, these nodes, where from which the energy is distributed. As of next week, we are going to start this. So this is a new dimension, important dimension, I hope, of our support here, which we discussed and agreed with President Zelensky just now."
++BLACK FRAMES++
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency:
"I was there as you know a few days ago where I and my technical experts could have an idea of what the situation is in terms of the level of preparedness that the station has for a situation - where it could perhaps find itself without a power supply or other circumstances. I was shown some evidence of impact on the facility as well, which indicates that there is an issue there with the security and the nuclear safety of the plant. It is also something I have been discussing with the government here."
4. Grossi leaving
STORYLINE:
The head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has described the situation at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant as “very fragile” following fresh attacks near the site in central Ukraine.

Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, on Tuesday said he had accepted a Ukrainian request to expand inspections to include electricity substations providing power to Ukraine's nuclear power plants.

"The IAEA, could or should be looking also at the substations, at the critical substations, in the country that have been subject to pressure or attacks, in the sense that they are also linked to nuclear power plants," he said at a news conference in Kyiv.

"This is a new dimension, important dimension, I hope, of our support here," he told reporters after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and top energy officials.

Grossi was making his 10th visit to Ukraine since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.

Earlier, Grossi posted on socal media platform X that he was on his way to Zaporizhzhia to “help prevent a nuclear accident.”

The Zaporizhzhia plant, which came under Russian control in the wake of its full-scale invasion, saw artillery shelling in the area on Monday that damaged the facility’s power access, according to its operator Energoatom, which blamed Russia for the attacks.



Also, if the wind is in an easterly direction, radiation could be pushed toward Russia.








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