Russian attacks threaten Ukraine’s nuclear power safety


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Recent Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power infrastructure have exposed critical vulnerabilities in the protection of essential energy facilities, particularly those near nuclear power sites. Despite receiving numerous warnings about these vulnerabilities over the past year, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry has faced criticism for its delayed response in implementing necessary protective measures.

Ukraine’s heavy dependence on nuclear power, which generates more than half of its electricity, makes the unprotected nuclear switchyards outside its three operational nuclear plants particularly crucial. These facilities play a vital role in transmitting power from reactors to the national grid.

“The switchyards that handle electrical routing from nuclear power plants are a vital component of Ukraine’s nuclear energy infrastructure – powering homes, schools, hospitals, and other critical civilian infrastructure. Given Ukraine’s heavy reliance on nuclear energy, military attacks on these switchyards would be devastating, severely impacting civilian life and undermining the resilience of the energy grid,” said Marcy R. Fowler, head of the office for research and analysis at Open Nuclear Network, a program of the U.S.-based NGO PAX sapiens that focuses on reducing nuclear risk.

The Energy Ministry only initiated protective measures last fall after intelligence agencies warned of potential Russian attacks targeting these switchyards. Industry experts warn that damage to these facilities could have severe consequences. Energy analyst Oleksandr Kharchenko notes that if two nuclear switchyards are damaged, it could result in power outages lasting up to 36 hours and significantly restricted energy supply for at least three weeks.

The switchyards serve another critical function: providing electricity from the external grid to nuclear plants, essential for cooling reactors and spent fuel. While backup systems exist, these are designed for temporary support and cannot sustain long-term operations.

Recent attacks in November and December came perilously close to nuclear facilities, forcing five of nine operating reactors to reduce power generation. These incidents occurred near, but did not directly hit, the nuclear switchyards located approximately one kilometer from reactor sites.

Protection measures were supposed to include three layers: sandbags, drone-resistant cement barriers, and steel-reinforced structures. While many state energy companies began implementing these measures following a July 2023 government decree, Energoatom, the state nuclear company, delayed contracting for second-layer fortifications until autumn.

“If two (nuclear switchyards) are hit, we are out of supply for a minimum of 30 to 36 hours, and there will be a huge limitation on energy supply for at least three weeks, best-case scenario,” said Oleksandr Kharchenko, a Ukrainian energy industry expert.

The bidding process for protecting facilities at Khmelnytskyi and Mykolaiv plants only began in October, with Rivne following in November. Construction isn’t expected to finish until 2026.

Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, former head of Ukrenergo, revealed that multiple warnings were sent to the Energy Ministry over 12-14 months. However, Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko reportedly focused on other initiatives, including promoting new nuclear reactor construction projects.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has documented damage to electrical substations crucial for nuclear safety, with Director General Rafael Grossi expressing concerns about grid stability and power supply reliability. The presence of IAEA inspection teams led some Ukrainian officials to mistakenly believe these sites would be safe from Russian attacks.

The delays in protecting these critical facilities have contributed to calls for Energy Minister Haluschenko’s removal, with lawmakers citing both the protection failures and allegations of systematic corruption in their resolution for his dismissal.