Reaffirming the UN-backed IAEA’s dedication to monitoring amenities such because the Khmelnitsky, Rivne and South Ukraine Nuclear Energy Crops (NPPs), he described how amenities have been performing beneath excessive situations.
“{The electrical} grid’s capacity to offer a dependable off-site energy provide to Ukrainian NPPs was decreased by harm sustained following navy assaults in November and December 2024,” Mr. Grossi said, underscoring the continued pressure on nationwide vitality infrastructure, within the face of Russia’s ongoing invasion.
A crew of IAEA consultants visits Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Energy Plant in Ukraine in June 2024.
Direct assaults on employees
Direct assaults have difficult the company’s work. The Director Basic described a drone strike that severely broken an IAEA car throughout a routine rotation.
“Employees survived this unacceptable assault unhurt, however the rear of the car was destroyed,” he stated, noting the continual dangers confronted by employees working in these risky situations.
Significantly regarding is the scenario on the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Energy Plant (ZNPP), the place six reactor items stay in chilly shutdown. The ability’s off-site energy provide continues to be susceptible.
Mr. Grossi highlighted a current incident wherein ZNPP relied on a single off-site energy line after shedding its remaining backup, additional underscoring the fragility of the plant.
In the meantime, an attack on the Chernobyl site almost three weeks in the past, which induced vital harm to the protecting construction of the 1986 reactor, was additionally addressed.
Whereas no radioactive launch occurred, Mr. Grossi careworn that the assault “underlines the persistent threat to nuclear security throughout this navy battle.”
Hearth on the New Secure Confinement (NSC) on the Chornobyl Nuclear Energy Plant web site following a drone assault on 14 February 2025.
Help for security efforts
Regardless of the challenges, Mr. Grossi reaffirmed the IAEA’s ongoing help for Ukraine.
Since November 2024, the Company has delivered 31 shipments of nuclear security, safety and medical gear, totalling over €15.6 million in worth.
“We’re grateful to all 30 donor states and the European Union for his or her extrabudgetary contributions,” Mr. Grossi added, urging continued help for the great help programme.
Considerations over Iran’s nuclear programme
Mr. Grossi additionally reported contemporary considerations over Iran’s nuclear programme, particularly its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60 per cent.
Iran stays the one non-nuclear weapon State enriching uranium to this degree, elevating vital considerations over potential weapons improvement.
“Iran says it has declared all nuclear materials, actions and places required beneath its NPT Safeguards Agreement. Nevertheless, this assertion is inconsistent with the Company’s findings of uranium particles of anthropogenic origin at undeclared places in Iran,” Mr. Grossi defined.
The Director Basic emphasised the necessity for larger transparency, stressing that unresolved safeguards points have to be addressed for Iran’s nuclear actions to be deemed peaceable.
He referred to as on Iran to urgently implement the Joint Statement of March 2023 and interact in severe dialogue geared toward resolving excellent points.
International security initiatives
Mr. Grossi additionally outlined the IAEA’s broader initiatives, together with his current go to to Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Energy Station, the place he oversaw the gathering of water samples associated to the continued release of ALPS-treated contaminated water – within the wake of the most important 2011 meltdown.
“The IAEA has maintained its impartial monitoring and evaluation efforts, confirming that tritium concentrations within the discharged batches stay far under operational limits,” he famous.
Trying forward, the Director Basic highlighted key upcoming initiatives, such because the launch of the Atomic Know-how Licensed for Functions at Sea (ATLAS) and the IAEA’s first International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Energy, which is able to happen in December 2025.
A rising position in vitality options
With the worldwide demand for vitality rising, Mr. Grossi pointed to the rising position of nuclear energy in addressing vitality wants.
“Within the IAEA’s excessive case situation, world nuclear electrical energy producing capability is seen growing two and a half instances by 2050,” he stated.
Nevertheless, the Director Basic careworn that such progress have to be accompanied by public help and a continued dedication to security.
