The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that the South Ukrainian, Rivne and Chornobyl nuclear power plants (NPP) have not yet been restored to all external power lines. This happened because of large-scale shelling that took place on August 26.
"The IAEA teams from the Rivne, South Ukrainian and Chornobyl NPPs reported that these facilities have not yet restored connections to all external power lines," the organization said in a statement.
On September 4, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was recorded flying a few kilometers from the Khmelnytskyi NPP. This underscores the ongoing risk to nuclear facilities in Ukraine in wartime conditions.
Agreement with France and NAEK "Energoatom"
The IAEA signed an agreement with France and NAEC "Energoatom" on the support of Ukrainian nuclear power plants. As part of the agreement, necessary spare parts for emergency diesel generators of the Southern Ukrainian NPP (PANP) will be supplied to Ukraine. This equipment is critical in case of loss of external power supply.
The attack on August 26: scope and consequences
On August 26, 2024, Russian forces launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, using cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, anti-aircraft missiles, and UAVs. A total of 127 missiles and 109 strike drones were used, making the attack one of the largest in a full-scale war. The cost of the attack is estimated at 1.2-1.3 billion dollars, which became a record figure.
Problems at the South Ukrainian NPP
After the attack on the South Ukrainian NPP, a problem was discovered on one of the units. As reported by NAEK "Energoatom", this problem did not lead to a serious accident. The power unit was discharged by 33% of the nominal capacity, and the problem was related to the transient modes that arose as a result of the attack.
