Kyiv [Ukraine], April 26 (ANI): The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Sunday signed an agreement with Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy to support reconstruction of the country’s energy sector, which has sustained significant damage following Russia’s invasion in 2022, marking 40 years since the Chornobyl nuclear disaster.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said in a post on X that Ukraine’s energy sector remains “central to the country’s recovery and future.” He added that the agreement was signed in Kyiv with Ukraine’s Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal to strengthen reconstruction efforts.
“Ukraine’s energy sector is central to the country’s recovery and future. Marking 40 years since the Chornobyl accident, we signed an agreement with Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy in Kyiv to support reconstruction. It focuses on the energy sector, particularly nuclear energy, from expansion with small modular reactors to reconstruction of the grid and substations critical for nuclear safety, as well as support for research and applications. The IAEA will continue this work,” Grossi said.
He also highlighted ongoing humanitarian and technical assistance to Ukraine’s nuclear infrastructure, including medical support. Grossi noted that the IAEA handed over a fourth ambulance as part of its Programme for Medical Assistance for operating personnel at nuclear power plants.
Since the start of the conflict, more than EUR 25 million in equipment and nearly EUR 3 million in medical supplies have been delivered to nuclear facilities across Ukraine, including the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
Grossi also participated in the Ukraine Energy Coordination Group event titled “40 Years After Chornobyl,” held in Kyiv and attended by Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.
The agreement comes as Ukraine continues efforts to rebuild and secure its energy infrastructure amid ongoing conflict, with international agencies maintaining on-ground support for nuclear safety and operational stability.
On April 26, 1986, the No. 4 reactor at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, then part of the Soviet Union, suffered a catastrophic failure during a low-power safety test. The test was improperly conducted, leading to a loss of control that triggered an explosion and fire, destroying the reactor building.
The disaster released significant amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere. As safety systems failed, the uranium fuel inside the reactor overheated and melted through its protective barriers.
In the aftermath, the IAEA provided assistance to the Soviet Union, focusing on environmental cleanup, decommissioning, and radioactive waste management, while also working to improve safety conditions at the site. The agency collaborated with other United Nations bodies under the International Chernobyl Project to assess the radiological impact and review protective measures.
Following the disaster, the IAEA helped develop two key international conventions: the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident and the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency.
These agreements established a global framework for rapid notification, information sharing, and coordinated assistance during nuclear or radiological emergencies, with the IAEA serving as the central coordinating body. (ANI)
About The Author
