WANO Statement 5 on the Situation in Ukraine 

WANO fully supports the IAEA and its Director-General Rafael Grossi, who has travelled to Antalya in Turkey today at the invitation of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu to meet the parties involved in the Ukraine conflict. “In meetings there, I hope to make progress on the urgent issue of ensuring the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. We need to act now,” Grossi said.

WANO has prepared a statement to aid Grossi in support of his discussions in Antalya, Turkey. It reads as follows:

WANO view on situation in Ukraine

• It is WANO’s view that there can be no interference of any kind with Ukrainian member operators' ability to safely perform their work.

• WANO’s performance objectives and criteria and safety principles provide high standards to guide nuclear plant operators worldwide on safe nuclear facility operation. WANO is concerned about factors in the current situation that may challenge these high standards of operation, including:

  • Staff not readily being rested, and under great stress, could jeopardize fitness for duty

  • Difficulties in providing supplies to stations 

  • Risk of inadequate supply of electricity for stations due to loss of offsite power

  • Fuel supply for long-term operation of emergency diesel generators

  • Possible external pressure that could jeopardize conservative decision making and the principle of safety being the highest priority

  • Weakened or disrupted communication lines with the regulator and support organisations such as IAEA and WANO

• WANO has extensive data on nuclear power plant operations, and a well-established network for the sharing of operating experience and coordinating support among the world’s nuclear operators. 

  • They must continue to be ready access by Ukraine plant operators to these resources, and the availability of support from the global nuclear industry if needed.

WANO Supports IAEA 7 fundamental pillars

• As a representative of all commercial nuclear operators, WANO supports the IAEA 7 pillars for nuclear safety.

• We as an organisation ask all parties to respect the IAEA 7 fundamental pillars:

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.

In Conclusion

WANO supports immediate establishment of a nuclear safety framework at all nuclear facilities in the Ukraine that ensures that the seven pillars of nuclear safety and security are achieved and maintained.