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Russian forces have been\u00a0carrying out strikes on critical infrastructure amid freezing winter temperatures as their\u00a0full-scale invasion\u00a0approaches the four-year mark next month.\u00a0<\/p>\n
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi\u00a0said\u00a0the electrical grid was again the target of military activity this past weekend, leading to significant impacts to several regions and nuclear power plant operations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The fighting caused power lines linking Ukraine with neighbouring countries to be disconnected, which in turn\u00a0knocked out supplies\u00a0inside\u00a0Ukraine.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
As a result, a unit at one\u00a0nuclear power plant\u00a0disconnected from the grid due to fluctuations and automatically\u00a0shut down,\u00a0while other units at other plants were forced to reduce power.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Chornobyl<\/strong>\u00a0site\u00a0\u2013 where\u00a0the world\u2019s worst nuclear\u00a0disaster occurred in 1986 \u2013\u00a0experienced a complete loss of\u00a0offsite\u00a0power<\/strong>\u00a0and relied on its emergency diesel generators for\u00a0roughly an\u00a0hour.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis latest grid event in Ukraine is a\u00a0stark reminder of the ever-present risks to nuclear safety and security arising from deteriorating grid conditions<\/strong>,\u201d said Mr. Grossi.\u00a0<\/p>\n He stressed\u00a0that\u00a0extensive repairs\u00a0are needed\u00a0to improve the reliability of power supply to nuclear power plants\u00a0and strengthen their resilience.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOnce again, I call for maximum military restraint, as well as full observance of the\u00a0Seven Indispensable Pillars\u00a0to enable these essential repairs to take place.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The IAEA developed the seven pillars for nuclear safety in Ukraine in March 2022, just weeks after the war began \u2013 the first time ever that armed conflict has occurred amid the facilities of a major nuclear power programme.\u00a0<\/p>\n Measures include\u00a0maintaining\u00a0the physical integrity of facilities, ensuring offsite power supply from the energy grid, and implementing effective radiation monitoring systems.\u00a0<\/p>\n Operating staff must also be able to\u00a0fulfill\u00a0their safety and security duties and to make decisions without any undue pressure.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u2018Ever-present risks\u2019<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Seven safety principles<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Vital inspections<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n