pwr_january-2025 - 5

SPEAKING OF POWER
War and Nuclear Energy:
Risks Are Enormous for
Power Industry and World
Aaron Larson
N
uclear power can be a highly important
component of a country's
energy security strategy. This is
true for several reasons.
Nuclear plants provide consistent
baseload power that is not dependent on
weather conditions or a constant fuel delivery
system. Unlike solar or wind energy,
nuclear power can generate electricity
24/7 with very high capacity factors, often
90% or more, which ensures a steady
and predictable energy supply.
Nuclear power reduces dependence
on foreign energy imports, particularly
coal, oil, and natural gas. Countries
with nuclear power plants can generate
substantial electricity domestically, enhancing
their energy independence and
reducing geopolitical vulnerabilities associated
with energy supply chains.
Meanwhile, nuclear fuel (uranium) is
abundant
relatively
and
concentrated,
meaning a small volume of fuel can generate
massive amounts of electricity. This
characteristic leads to more stable and predictable
energy pricing compared to fossil
fuels, which are subject to significant market
volatility. Uranium reserves are widely
distributed globally, and modern reactor
designs can use fuel very efficiently. Some
advanced reactor concepts even propose
recycling nuclear fuel, potentially extending
fuel availability for decades or centuries.
By incorporating nuclear power into their
energy mix, countries can diversify their
electricity sources, reducing risks associated
with over-reliance on any single energy
technology or fuel type. This diversification
enhances overall energy system resilience.
The Risks in War Zones
However, nuclear power plants present
significant vulnerabilities during wartime,
which can pose catastrophic risks to both
military personnel and civilian populations.
For example, a direct military strike or significant
damage to a nuclear power plant
could cause a massive radiological release,
creating an environmental catastrophe far
beyond the immediate conflict zone. The
Chernobyl and Fukushima incidents have
demonstrated how nuclear facility damage
January 2025 | POWER
can create long-lasting contamination spanning
hundreds of square miles.
Nuclear power plants are high-value
strategic targets. An attacking force
might intentionally target these facilities
to create widespread environmental disruption,
cause massive civilian displacement,
generate long-term economic and
environmental damage, or potentially
contaminate critical infrastructure and agricultural
lands. Unlike conventional military
targets, damage to nuclear facilities
can create radioactive exclusion zones,
render surrounding areas uninhabitable
for decades, contaminate water sources,
cause long-term health risks through radiation
exposure, and disrupt agricultural
and economic activities in vast regions.
Protecting nuclear facilities during conflict
is extremely challenging. Reactors require
continuous cooling systems, robust
infrastructure maintenance, specialized
personnel to prevent potential meltdown
scenarios, and extreme security measures
that become exponentially more
difficult during active combat. Meanwhile,
the mere threat of nuclear facility
damage can create significant psychological
pressure, potentially forcing strategic
withdrawals or negotiations due to the
potential for catastrophic consequences.
A Real-World Problem
The risks associated with war and nuclear
power are not just a thought exercise
today-there's been a real situation at
hand for nearly three years. Russia invaded
Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Notably,
the largest nuclear plant in Europe-the
Zaporizhzhia facility, which has six VVER1000
units each with a capacity of about
950 MW-was seized almost immediately
by Russian forces on March 4,
2022. Fighting in the territory surrounding
the Zaporizhzhia plant quickly raised
concerns that its reactors could be critically
damaged in the crossfire. Concerns
were heightened in August 2022 when
two of the four high-voltage (750-kV) offsite
power lines to the site were damaged
by an attack.
Representatives of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), including
www.powermag.com
Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi,
visited the plant in late August 2022 to
assess the threat of a nuclear accident.
Grossi addressed the United Nations
Security Council via video link on Sept.
6, 2022, saying the establishment of a
" Nuclear Safety and Security Protection
Zone " was urgently needed at the Zaporizhzhia
site to ensure that the physical integrity
of the plant was not compromised.
While no agreement was ever reached
to formally implement a protection zone
at Zaporizhzhia, the IAEA has continued to
closely monitor and assess the situation at
the site on a daily basis. It has prioritized
nuclear safety and security implications,
alongside ongoing verification activities.
At the American Nuclear Society's Winter
Conference and Expo in Orlando, Florida,
on Nov. 18, 2024, Grossi spoke about
the work the IAEA has done in Ukraine
during the war. He specifically highlighted
an attack that had taken place just days
before the Orlando event. " A tremendous,
ferocious attack on Ukraine's energy
infrastructure reminded us once again
that nuclear has sometimes unexpected
challenges, " he said. Grossi noted that
monitoring activities at a nuclear plant
on the front lines of a war is " an amazing
challenge. " Still, he said it was incredibly
important for the IAEA to be there.
" This is why today I have teams of dedicated
staff, not only in Zaporizhzhia, but also
in Rivne, in Khmelnitski, in South Ukraine,
in Chernobyl, " he said, referring to all the
nuclear facilities in Ukraine, which total 15
operable reactors and four permanently
shut down reactors. " Every three weeks
crossing the front lines. I've done it myself
five times. They do it all the time. And
sometimes we've done it under fire. The
proud flag of the IAEA, which represents
us all, is there to remind those who are in
conflict that nuclear energy is for peace. "
The nuclear industry has a safety maxim
that posits " an accident anywhere is
an accident everywhere. " In the case of
war and nuclear power, the stakes are
high for everyone and an accident must
be avoided at all costs. ■
-Aaron Larson is POWER's
executive editor.
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