National Atomic Energy Agency

It was already the 165th meeting of the Board of Governors, which, along with the General Conference, is the most important administrative and political institution operating within the International Atomic Energy Agency. Representatives of the 35 countries that are members of the Board of Governors in the new term (2022-2023) met at the Agency's headquarters in Vienna on November 16^th to 18^th.

The situation in Ukraine was one of the main topics of the meeting. Once again, the Board of Governors adopted a resolution condemning the actions of the Russian Federation in this country. 24 countries voted in favor of the resolution. Russia and China were the countries that voted against it. Representatives of 7 countries abstained from voting. In the adopted document, the IAEA Board of Governors:

• expresses its concern about the continuation of hostilities in Ukraine, including the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, despite earlier calls on the Russian Federation to cease them;
• does not recognize the attempts of the Russian Federation to 'illegally annex' Ukrainian territories, including the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant;
• expresses its concern over the information about the pressure exerted on Ukrainian operators and the frequent interruptions of energy supplies from external power sources to the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant;
• once again calls on the Russian Federation to withdraw from the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant;
• supports the efforts of the IAEA Director General to improve nuclear safety in Ukraine;
• stresses the importance of nuclear safety and radiation protection in the operation of civil facilities that use ionizing radiation for peaceful purposes.

According to the Director General of the IAEA, certain conditions (pillars) must be satisfied in order to recognize that the safety of a nuclear facility is not compromised in any way.

The IAEA's pillars for ensuring the safe and secure operation of nuclear facilities are:

1. The physical integrity of the facilities – whether it is the reactors, fuel ponds, or radioactive waste stores – must be maintained;
2. All safety and security systems and equipment must be fully functional at all times;
3. The operating staff must be able to fulfil their safety and security duties and have the capacity to make decisions free of undue pressure;
4. There must be secure off-site power supply from the grid for all nuclear sites;
5. There must be uninterrupted logistical supply chains and transportation to and from the sites;
6. There must be effective on-site and off-site radiation monitoring systems and emergency preparedness and response measures; and
7. There must be reliable communications with the regulator and others.

Director Grossi has repeatedly stressed that all seven pillars have been violated at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant as a result of the Russian Federation's military actions.