IAEA Alarmed: Drones Pose Threat to Nuclear Power Plants in Ukraine
Nuclear safety in Ukraine has once again been seriously compromised. Just hours after the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) suffered its longest complete loss of external power supply since the start of the war, a drone struck dangerously close to the active South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (Pivdennoukrayinsk).
The safety of Europe's largest nuclear power plant is threatened by drone warfare in Ukraine. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons /Ralf1969, CC BY-SA 3.0
“Once again, drones are flying far too close to nuclear power plants, endangering nuclear safety,” warned IAEA chief Rafael Grossi. He cautioned that it was fortunate that the plant itself remained undamaged: “Next time, we may not be so lucky.” According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a drone was intercepted during the night and exploded about 800 meters from the South Ukraine nuclear power plant in the Mykolaiv area. IAEA observers recorded a total of 22 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), some of which flew just half a kilometer past the plant.
The IAEA team stationed at the site investigated the impact site and found a crater measuring approximately four square meters and about one meter deep. Nearby metal structures were hit by shrapnel, and vehicle windows in the impact area were shattered. Although a regional 150-kilovolt (kV) power line was damaged, there was no direct impact on the nuclear safety of the plant. The South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant is one of three Ukrainian nuclear power plants still in operation, and its three reactors are currently running at full capacity.
Zaporizhzhya: Longest power outage
The disturbing development at the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant occurred only about 30 hours after the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest nuclear facility, suffered its tenth and longest complete loss of off-site power (LOOP) since the start of the conflict. The plant, which has been occupied by Russian troops since 2022, was without power from the national grid for over 48 hours.
During this critical period, the ZNPP relied on its emergency diesel generators to provide power for cooling the six shut-down reactors and other vital safety functions. To conserve diesel, the number of generators in operation was reduced to seven, with reserves available for just under 20 days.
The precarious situation is exacerbated by the fact that the plant is now supplied by a single 750-kV main power line, compared to ten lines before the war. The last remaining 330 kV reserve power line has been damaged for almost four months and has not been put back into operation.
Constant danger from direct attacks
The current threat from drones is consistent with a series of previous dangerous incidents. IAEA experts have repeatedly observed military activity near the plant, jeopardizing compliance with Grossi's “seven essential pillars for nuclear safety.” In the spring, the first direct drone attacks on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant site since the end of 2022 took place, reportedly hitting the protective shell of the sixth reactor, among other things. The IAEA has also confirmed the mining of the area between the inner and outer fences of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant.
IAEA Director General Grossi once again urgently appealed to the parties to the conflict to exercise the utmost military restraint around all important nuclear facilities. The IAEA has played a central role in monitoring for over three and a half years and has provided comprehensive support, which now totals around 20 million euros in equipment deliveries. Grossi made it clear: “We will only be able to say that our mission has been successful if the war ends without a serious nuclear accident.”