WANO Governing Board Special Resolution on the Safety of Nuclear Power Plants in Ukraine and Russia

On September 28 2024, during WANO’s Biennial General Meeting (BGM), which took place in Abu Dhabi,  the WANO Governing Board unanimously passed a special resolution emphasising the association’s continued support to all nuclear stations operating under military conflict in all countries in any way practical, to help ensure nuclear safety fundamentals remain in place to support nuclear safety.

In the resolution, the organisation committed to continue supporting the IAEA safety efforts and reaffirmed that every effort must be taken to ensure that no member nuclear power station becomes isolated from the industry or from industry interaction needed to support the highest levels of nuclear safety.

The resolution reads as follows:

Written resolution of
World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) (the ‘Company’)
FINAL

Circulation date: 28 September 2024

This ordinary resolution is a proposed update to the ordinary resolution approved by the WANO Regional and WANO Governing Boards on behalf of the WANO Members in October 2022. It reflects the current state of the geo-political risks threatening the safety of nuclear power plants in Ukraine and Russia.

The purpose of this resolution is to demonstrate the unity of WANO and its members, the continued commitment to WANO’s Mission, and to emphasise the importance that nuclear safety has no boarders.

Proposed by the board of directors of the Company in accordance with section 291 of the Companies Act 2006:

The governing board of the World Association of Nuclear Operators at its Biennial General Meeting in Abu Dhabi and representing its members who operate nuclear power stations worldwide, pass an ordinary resolution in accordance with section 282 of the Companies Act 2006.

WHEREAS based on our best information from multiple sources, military activity in the vicinity of Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, Kursk Nuclear Power Plant and other nuclear power facilities, and critical supporting infrastructure, present a persistent and unacceptable risk to nuclear safety; and

WHEREAS military activity in the vicinity of any nuclear power plant, or that threatens infrastructure that is essential to nuclear safety, is in direct violation of the seven indispensable pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security during an armed conflict and the five concrete principles established by the IAEA to protect plant operators’ ability to perform their work safely and to maintain adequate margins of safety consistent with WANO operating standards and expectations; and

WHEREAS there continues to be significant uncertainty that a path to correct these conditions has or can be established before an event requiring an emergency response or rapid outside assistance occurs. The board agrees this is an unacceptable situation, and the community of nuclear operators calls on all parties to become more directly engaged in stabilising the situation immediately; and

WHEREAS WANO recognizes the importance of the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to Zaporizhzhya (ISAMZ), which has placed expert teams at Zaporizhzhya and other NPPs under military conflict for two years to help increase safety and stability of the plants; and

WHEREAS WANO will continue to support all nuclear operators in all countries in any way practical to help ensure nuclear safety fundamentals remain in place to support nuclear safety, and will continue to support the IAEA safety efforts through close collaboration;

NOW THEREFORE, the board resolves that:

1. we reaffirm that every effort must be taken to ensure no interference in the nuclear operators’ ability to safely perform their work at any nuclear power plant in the world; and
2. we are dedicated to maintaining WANO unity in supporting all nuclear power plants in the world, ensuring that no member nuclear power station becomes isolated either from the industry or from industry interaction needed to support the highest levels of nuclear safety; and
3. we declare our firm intention to provide a focused support to Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, Kursk Nuclear Power Plant and other nuclear power facilities located close to areas of military operations, to the extent necessary for maintaining their safe operation, within WANO competence and mandate; and 
4. we urge all members to promptly and thoroughly review key SOER recommendations and other materials as noted in WANO CEO Update #3 (24 July 2024) to help ensure readiness to maintain nuclear safety in the face of military conflict, severe weather events or other disruptive situations; and
5. we restate our position that nuclear operators cannot be hindered in their ability to safely operate nuclear power plants, and we urge all parties to respect the IAEA seven indispensable pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security and the five concrete principles and restrain from actions that can initiate or prevent mitigation of a safety event.

This resolution is consistent with the fundamental principles established for WANO at its founding in 1989, which we are dedicated to maintaining.

By order of the board: Tom Mitchell
WANO Chairman and Director

Date: 28 September 2024

End of Resolution