Nuclear Safety or Blackmail?

The Cabinet discussed in camera shutdown of the Chornobyl plant last Thursday. After announcing the closed session, the press service declined further comment.

“Ukraine’s position in the Chornobyl issue remains the same,” Presidential Press Secretary Oleksandr Martynenko stated the day before. “We are prepared to close the station provided we receive timely and adequate international aid as agreed with G-7. There is no sense in discussing any changes of these commitments.”

After G-7’s nuclear safety working meeting in February, the West stressed that it was ready to allocate $118 million for the Chornobyl closure project. The Ukrainian side insists on receiving $350 million, as laid down in the G-7—Ukrainian Memorandum. The final assessment was assigned to AEL Technology (UK), which arrived at the figure of $540 million In other words, the Chornobyl issue will remain open until the sides reach an agreement, says Volodymyr Kostenko, senior expert at the Containment International Contacts and Information Department.

In the meantime, Chornobyl’s Power Unit No. 3 became operational on March 6, after two and a half months of emergency repair, and is the only facility at the station still generating. Repair and reequipment were financed by an EBRD grant of $118 million.

March 9, Christos Papucis, member of the European Commission responsible for power engineering, urged the Ukrainian government to stop this unit, for the Commission considers it a threat not only to Ukraine, but also to the entire world.

The station’s management thinks differently.

“After repair this unit has become safer in operation,” says Chief Engineer Borys Honcharov.

“Such renovations have never been done on any other Soviet-made reactors. Besides, such reactors are generating in many postsocialist countries, yet no one wants them closed,” adds Volodymyr Kostenko.

Power Industry Ministry’s press service, Chornobyl generated 4,749,000,000 kWh last year, 2.75% of Ukraine’s total.

PS: Leonid Kuchma spoke critically, March 11, of the requirements being imposed on Ukraine, noting that the West “is used to dictating conditions to us.” And that “we have already got used to responding appropriately.”

Commentary

Says Andre Vanhaeverbeke, head of the European Commission’s Representation in Ukraine:

The trouble is that Enerhoatom does generate, but receives less than 10% of the money owed it. Thus, it is very difficult to keep the stations in a proper condition and secure their safety. Hence our pressuring the government for bettering the collection procedures. This is the only way to make Enerhoatom function properly. We understand that this is not easy, for the country is in bad financial shape and the general atmosphere in the energy sector is not very favorable; people are not paid and go on strike. We invested $400 million in nuclear safety and Chornobyl closure in terms of subsidies. Another most important aspect is the construction of a new containment vessel. As you know, the current structure could fall apart tomorrow. The project costs $700 million. The European Commission has invested $200 million, meaning that we still need half a billion. Next month we are planning a tender for the construction of a $40 million plant recycling Chornobyl nuclear wastes. We are looking into the possibility of a $400-500 million loan for Ukraine.