Ukraine’s Energoatom has reported that a strike by ‘an enemy unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)’ damaged the container reception building at the site of the Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility (CSFSF) near the Chornobyl NPP site. An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team has inspected the impact of the drone strike, reporting that it caused significant structural damage to part of the fuel reception building, including to the IAEA safeguards office located there.
The team of experts observed damage to the building’s facade, walls and staircase, with shattered glass shards, broken bricks and other debris seen scattered on the ground. They confirmed that radiation levels at the facility remained normal, indicating that the incident did not cause any radioactive contamination.
They were also informed that used fuel was stored in casks a few hundred metres from the damaged building at the time of the attack, while other closer ones had been empty. It remains unclear when the facility will be able to start receiving used fuel from Ukraine’s operating NPPs again.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said it was an extremely concerning incident and a close call in terms of nuclear safety. Attacking a facility with large amounts of nuclear material is like playing with fire and it must never happen, he noted, adding that the IAEA will continue to investigate the incident.
Ukrainian nuclear utility Energoatom said a fire covering an area of 40 square metres was promptly contained and completely extinguished. No personnel were injured. Energoatom confirmed that radiation levels at the CSFSF site remain within normal limits. Energoatom is continuously monitoring the situation and remains in full coordination with all relevant state authorities and emergency services.
