Ethnically Ukrainian Aleksandr Lebed Makes Problems for Ukraine

Abroad, as a rule, spent nuclear fuel is to be returned to the country that provided it, in this case Russia, where useful elements can be extracted, and the nuclear waste is buried on the territory of the country where it was consumed, in this case Ukraine. However, lacking its own nuclear dumpsite, in conformity with international agreements Ukraine has been given permission to dispose of its nuclear fuel at the Krasnoyarsk 47 nuclear object. Such permission did not come cheaply: the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station alone is to pay $60 million. But to Governor Lebed this still seems too little, and he is accusing Ukraine of trying to get away with paying a price three times below world levels. Perhaps the former general decided to get a little publicity before the Russian presidential elections.

At the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station the situation was foreseen, and decisions for future disposal were made as early as 1993 when a proposal was make to Ukraine's State Committee on Atomic Energy concerning the construction of a site for the dry storage of spent nuclear fuel according to a project worked out by an American firm.

Construction of the site is nearing completion and in the opinion of experts will be absolutely secure for fifty years. Among its indisputable advantages is the fact that storage will be under completely dry conditions.

If Russia does not alter its hard-line position concerning nuclear issues with Ukraine, our country will have no particular difficulty in finding a partner for reprocessing among other nations with nuclear capabilities, including for containment of the nuclear waste remaining after reprocessing in Ukraine itself. Some experts at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant opine that the Chornobyl containment sarcophagus could well serve as such a site, or the waste might be disposed of in uranium mines. Of course, this would be done only after thorough study of all the aspects of this complex security problem.