Ukraine's NPPs return to near-full output after Russian attack, IAEA says

The Khmelnytskyi, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs, which have a total of nine reactors, are now operating at near-full capacity, with only one reactor currently in shutdown mode. 

“Over the past week, most of them have gradually increased output again, even though some units operated below full capacity for several days after the military strikes, which affected electrical infrastructure that is essential for nuclear safety,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, adding that some of the external power lines that the plants use to both receive and transmit electricity remain disconnected.

He commended the operators for their resilience in maintaining nuclear safety and power generation despite the grid instability, and expressed continued concern about the fragile grid situation.

“We will continue to closely monitor relevant developments, including with follow-up expert visits to the electrical substations on which the nuclear power plants depend. Once again, I call for maximum restraint, so that no action affecting the external power supply and nuclear safety is taken,” Grossi said.

At the Khmelnytskyi NPP, IAEA team members had to shelter in place on December 3, but there was no impact on the plant itself. At the South Ukraine NPP, the IAEA team was informed that a total of 17 drones were detected earlier this week, about three kilometers from the site.

As for Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya NPP, it has not produced electricity for more than two years since it was occupied by Russian troops at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. All six of its units are in cold shutdown but still require external power for critical safety functions. However, the power supply situation remains unstable due to frequent outages on the remaining power lines.

The IAEA team continues to face restrictions on access to certain facilities, such as the external spare parts depot and diesel fuel storage. However, there are reports that a damaged diesel fuel storage tank has been repaired. The team at the Zaporizhzhya NPP has heard explosions on an almost daily basis, but no damage to the plant has been reported.

On Nov. 28, the National Energy Company Ukrenergo reported the 11th large-scale Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine’s power grid since the start of the year. Enemy forces fired 91 missiles and 97 drones, primarily targeting critical energy facilities.