IAEA flag raised at Ukraine’s South Ukraine NPP

17 January 2023


International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has established a continuous IAEA presence at Ukraine’s Pivdennoukrainsk (South Ukraine) NPP. During his visit to the plant, he watched the IAEA flag raised at the plant. “We are here to stay to help ensure nuclear safety and security during ongoing conflict,” he said on his Twitter page. “Soon IAEA will be permanently present at all Ukrainian NPPs.”

He told a press briefing that this was the first of a set of missions which would be followed in the coming week, with similar trips to the Rivne and Khmelnitsky NPPs, as well as to Chornobyl. The group of experts, who would be staying at South Ukraine, would work with plant staff. IAEA would offer technical support and deliver equipment and would “ensure the plant continued running normally and without problems”.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi will visit Ukraine to establish a continuous presence of nuclear safety and security experts at all the country’s nuclear power facilities. IAEA said this will significantly step up its efforts to help prevent a nuclear accident during the current military conflict.

Earlier, announcing the planned trip, IAEA said the missions would consist two IAEA experts at each facility. “This is an important step in our work to help Ukraine during these immensely difficult and challenging times, Grossi said. Our nuclear safety and security experts will monitor the situation at the plants, assess their equipment and other needs, provide technical support and advice, and report their findings to IAEA headquarters.”

IAEA has had a permanent mission at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhia NPP since September. “With these new missions at Ukraine’s NPPs – established at the country’s request and agreed in a meeting between Grossi and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in December – the IAEA will have around 11-12 experts present in Ukraine at any given time, IAEA said.


Images courtesy of IAEA



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