The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, has warned of the continued risk of nuclear accidents in Ukraine due to Russia's attacks on the country's power grid. Grossi, who visited Kyiv on Tuesday, emphasized that disruptions to the energy system, including strikes on substations, could have dire consequences for nuclear safety.
Grossi inspected an electricity distribution substation in Kyiv and stated that "a nuclear accident can result from a direct attack on a plant, but also from power supply disruption." He is scheduled to visit Russia later this week to discuss the situation in Ukraine and the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure since its invasion in February 2022, leaving Ukraine reliant on nuclear power for over half of its electricity generation. Experts warn that disruptions to power supplies to nuclear plants can lead to the interruption of critical processes, including reactor cooling, with potentially devastating consequences.
In September, Ukraine and the IAEA agreed to monitor key Ukrainian substations in addition to nuclear plants. Nuclear switchyards outside the perimeters of functioning nuclear plants are considered particularly vulnerable. Ukrainian energy expert Oleksandr Kharchenko stated that the loss of two switchyards could result in a power outage lasting at least 30 to 36 hours, with limited energy supply for up to three weeks.