A Hungry Nuclear Plant Operator

Oleksiy Lych, Head of the united trade union committee at the Energoatom National Energy Company, told The Day that the workers' main demand is payment of three to five months worth of back wages which total approximately Hr 120 million. Lych added that the trade union considers Energoatom unable to resolve the problem. During a similar plenum back in June, participants were promised  to receive their wages by September 1.

Nuri Nigmatulin explained that wage arrears are a result of the number of outstanding electricity bills. According to him, energy giant Ukrenergo alone owes Energoatom over Hr 1.6 billion. Nigmatulin thinks the plants themselves may take certain measures which will force debtors to pay their bills, and can sell 12% of all produced electricity at their disposal in a more efficient way.

According to IAEA data, 60% of the safe functioning of a nuclear plant is dependent upon its personnel. Depression and physical exhaustion among miners, along with their neglect for safety regulations, cause tragic explosions in mines. One can only imagine what a similar situation among nuclear plant employees can lead to.