Safety assessment of the New Safe Confinement
The IAEA has sent additional staff to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant to assess the safety of the New Safe Confinement (NSC) after a drone attack that took place on February 14, 2025. The assessment of the current condition of the NSC is being conducted at the request of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine. The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant has been under control since January 2023, ensuring stability in the region.
It should be noted that the NSC was completed in 2016. Following military attacks on Ukraine's electrical grid, electricity generation at the country's three operating nuclear power plants - Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, and Yuzhnoukrainsk - has returned to normal. Almost all power units are operating at full capacity, except for one that is functioning at reduced capacity. All high-voltage transmission lines that were lost during the attacks have already been restored.
Military activity and support from the IAEA
It has also been reported that military activity has been recorded at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant approximately 20 times. At the request of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine, staff from the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Safety have joined the Support and Assistance Mission in Chernobyl, as noted by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.
“IAEA plans to send a team to visit several substations critically important for nuclear safety.”
Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General
This situation underscores the importance of international oversight and safety assessment of nuclear facilities, especially in times of military conflict. The actions of the IAEA demonstrate the organization's commitment to ensuring nuclear safety and stability in Ukraine, which is critically important in light of recent attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure. The restoration of the operation of nuclear power units also indicates a gradual return to normal functioning of the energy system, which is important for the stability of energy supply in the region.