4/5/2004: Thieves of Nuclear Plant Equipment Arrested in Ukraine
At a 5 April 2004 press-conference, Mykola Tomilovych, department head at the Rivne Oblast Prosecutor’s Office, announced that the police directorate for fighting organized crime in Kuznetsovsk arrested five men on suspicion of stealing equipment from the Rivne nuclear power plant. According to Tomilovych, four employees of the Rivne NPP bribed a security officer working at the plant’s checkpoint to pass through security and stole a piece of the plant’s equipment—the reactor’s evaporator heating chamber. [It is likely that the piece of stolen equipment, which the Ukrainian press and media identifies as "the reactor’s evaporator heating chamber" is actually the spare evaporator from the condensate treatment system of the VVER-440 reactor. The evaporator, which in the condensate treatment system is linked with the reactor coolant and can be described as a heating chamber, is relatively small and portable. Because the evaporator was a spare, it was not contaminated with radioactivity and therefore could have been stolen without exposing the thieves to harmful radiation.[4]] The perpetrators paid the security officer 400 hryvnyas ($77 as of April 2004) for the service.[1,2,3] Initial reports suggested that the bribed checkpoint worker was a warrant officer serving at a military unit guarding the Rivne NPP, but the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense later stated that the warrant officer had no relation to the military because NPPs in Ukraine are guarded by units from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.[3]
The thieves sold the stolen piece of equipment to a local scrap metal collection station for a mere 1,600 hryvnyas ($309 as of April 2004), while experts estimated its cost at 800,000 hryvnyas ($154,000 as of April 2004). The device was not in service at the time of the theft, so operations at the Rivne NPP were not affected. The four plant workers were charged under Article 185, part 5 (Large-Scale Theft) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and Article 369 (Bribery). The security officer was charged under Article 368 (Bribe taking).[1,2]
4/2/2003: GERMAN SPECIALISTS UPGRADE FIRE SAFETY OF SOUTH UKRAINE NPP
Podrobnosti reported on 2 April 2003 that, according to Enerhoatom, specialists from the German firm Brandschutz were working at the South Ukraine NPP to improve its fire safety. German specialists will also train NPP personnel to use the new equipment. South Ukraine NPP has been using Brandschutz equipment since 1999.
2/21/2003 SOUTH UKRAINE NPP RECEIVES TACIS-FUNDED SAFETY EQUIPMENT
UNIAN reported on 21 February 2003 that the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) received instruments for automatic monitoring of water quality. The equipment is scheduled to be installed by the end of the first quarter of 2003 on Unit 3, and will be used to measure water quality in the turbine section and the steam generators. The instruments were produced by the French firm ELTA, and were provided via European Union’s TACIS program.
2/14/2003: US SPECIALISTS ASSIST ZAPORIZHZHYA NPP
From 10 to 14 February 2003, safety experts from the US firm Westinghouse studied a project to develop and implement comprehensive emergency procedures at the Zaporizhzhya NPP, whose Unit 5 has been chosen as a pilot VVER-type reactor to introduce such procedures. The procedures are to be fully implemented by the end of 2004, and will then be applied at other units of the NPP. Westinghouse experts also plan to visit other Ukrainian NPPs. Prior to their visit to Zaporizhzhya NPP, Westinghouse specialists, together with representatives of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the Argonne National Laboratory, held talks with specialists from Enerhoatom and Ukraine’s NPPs on the emergency procedures project.
2/10/2003: JAPANESE SPECIALISTS TRAIN UKRAINIAN REACTOR PERSONNEL
UNIAN reported on 10 February 2003 that a delegation of specialists from the Japan Electric Power Information Center (JEPIC) visited the South Ukraine nuclear power plant (NPP). The visit was part of a program of international cooperation on NPP safety. The Japanese experts remarked that South Ukraine NPP personnel left a positive impression, and that they intend to continue cooperation in this area. Three South Ukraine NPP specialists visited Japan in 2002 where they received instruction in NPP safety procedures.
12/5/2002: GERMAN DELEGATION CITES INADEQUATE REACTOR SAFETY EFFORTS
Interfax reported on 5 December 2002 that a German delegation of the Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety, headed by the Director General of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Wolfgang Renneberg, spent three days familiarizing itself with the work on the closing of the Chornobyl NPP. According to the German experts, Ukraine is not spending enough on nuclear safety. Wolfgang Renneberg also said that if Ukraine were to perform a risk-benefit analysis of its nuclear energy program, the risks would most likely outweigh the benefits.
[“Nemetskiye eksperty polagayut, chto Ukraine sleduyet tratit bolshe sredstv na podderzhaniye yadernoy bezopasnosti,” Interfax, 5 December 2002.] {Entered 5/13/2003 MJ}
10/4/2002: QUALITY OF NPP OPERATORS QUESTIONED
Rivne vechirne reported on 4 October 2002 that over 10 employees of the Rivne NPP had false higher education diplomas that they had purchased for $500-600. The holders of false Odessa National Polyte3chnic University diplomas were employed in administrative and engineering positions at the NPP. The revelation has prompted an investigation by the oblast prosecutor's office and anti-organized crime directorate.[1] An Enerhoatom commission was dispatched to investigate. Individuals accused of purchasing university diplomas remained at their jobs, however. NPP management stated this was justified because none of the individuals in question worked in positions affecting reactor safety. According to the head of the department for public relations at Rivne NPP, Oleksiy Kiskiy, the licensing process for reactor operators is so strict that it excludes the possibility of unqualified personnel occupying such positions.[2] However, the Ukrainian nuclear power industry is experiencing a problem retaining qualified cadres. Only 40% of reactor operators are willing to remain at their jobs; 280 left Ukraine in the last three years. Enerhoatom is attempting to stem the outflow of expensively trained specialists by introducing new social programs. However, funding of these programs would require the tripling of electricity tariffs.[3]
8/15/2002: TULUB ON CONDITION OF UKRAINIAN REACTORS
Izvestiya reported on 15 August 2002 that during a visit to the city of Slavutych, Enerhoatom president Serhiy Tulub assessed the depreciation of Ukrainian power reactors' thermomechanical equipment at 56%, and electrical and control systems at 60%. Only major financial investments can improve the situation, according to the article.
8/6/2002: RIVNE, KHMELNYTSKYY NPP CONSTRUCTION ACCELERATED
Interfax Ukraine reported on 6 August 2002 that the funding rate for the construction of new reactors at Rivne and Khmelnytskiy NPPs has been doubled, from 700,000 hryvnyas (about $126,000) per day to 1.4 million hryvnyas (about $252,000) per day. The reactors are to become operational in 2004. While Enerhoatom is funding the project using its own resources, it is also planning to continue negotiations with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) concerning financial assistance for the project.[1] Enerhoatom is also ignoring the suit against the construction of the two reactors brought by Serhiy Konyukhov of the Public Committee for State Security of Ukraine, a Ukrainian non-governmental environmental organization (for more information, see the 5/25/2002 entry, below). Although a district court in Kiev agreed to consider the suit, as of 19 August 2002 Enerhoatom had not received an official notice to stop construction.[2]
5/25/2002: PROTESTS AGAINST NEW REACTOR CONSTRUCTION
The Public Committee for State Security of Ukraine has called upon Russia to refuse financial support for the construction of additional reactors at Rivne and Khmelnytskyy NPPs. The committee's message to the Russian State Duma claims such involvement is not advantageous to either country, may incur financial risks, and damage relations. Moreover, according to the committee, there are safety-related concerns over the construction of the two reactors, and the design documentation is obsolete, placing even the legality of their construction in doubt. Russia has offered assistance of up to $500 million, including $140 million in the form of credits for manufactured products, but the Ukrainian government has made it clear that it does not need Russian products worth that amount, since all necessary Russian equipment has already been purchased.[1] On 20 June 2002, protest rallies were held in Kharkiv against the signing by Ukrainian Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov of an agreement on joint completion of the two reactors. The protesters demanded that reactor construction be halted and called on the two prime ministers to focus on modernizing already existing reactors.[2]
4/10/2002: RUSSIA TO FINANCE REACTOR CONSTRUCTION
On 10 April 2002, following talks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov announced that Russia will loan Ukraine $45 million to finance the construction of new reactors at the Rivne and Khmelnytskyy NPPs. The loans will finance the final stages of construction and final equipment supplies.
4/9/2002: UKRAINE AND EBRD MAKE PROGRESS ON REACTOR CREDITS
Ukrainian Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh announced on 9 April 2002 that Ukraine and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) had made progress on the details of financing the construction of additional reactors at the Rivne and Khmelnytskiy NPPs. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukraine is to determine how to address the issue of electricity tariffs to ensure the project is profitable by the end of June 2002. This announcement follows the January 2002 agreement between Ukraine and the EBRD to reduce the cost of the two reactors, and to change some of the EBRD's conditions.
3/20/2002: UKRAINE PREPARED TO HIRE IGNALINA NPP WORKERS
Ukrainian Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh announced on 20 March 2002 that Ukraine is ready to offer specialists working at Lithuania's Ignalina NPP employment at the new reactors at Rivne and Khmelnytskiy NPPs. Kinakh made the statement following high-level talks between the governments of Ukraine and Lithuania. Ignalina NPP is to be shut down by 2009 as part of Lithuania's efforts to join the European Union. Kinakh also offered Lithuania assistance in shutting down its nuclear reactors.
11/29/2001: UKRAINE REJECTS EBRD REQUIREMENTS, LOOKS TO RUSSIA
On 29 November 2001, the government of Ukraine rejected the requirements put forth by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to grant $1.5 billion in credit for the construction of two reactors at Rivne and Khmelnytskiy NPPs. Ukraine decided to seek funding from Russia instead, and on 4 December 2001 Ukrainian Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov reached a preliminary agreement on a loan for Ukraine of over $200 million, beginning with $60 million in 2002. Although the total value of Russian funding is considerably less than the EBRD credit, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma has called the original EBRD cost estimate "overblown," and said Ukrainian experts assured him the entire project could be completed for just $600 million. Kuchma also complained that whereas initially EBRD only required Ukraine to close the Chornobyl NPP as a condition for the credits, the list of demands later grew to the point that it became unacceptable to Ukraine.
7/23/2001: UKRAINE TO BUILD TWO NEW POWER REACTORS
UNIAN reported that during a meeting with US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Richard Meserve, Ukranian Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh announced that Ukraine intends to construct two new power reactors. Kinakh also stressed the need for Western financial assistance for the realization of this project. Kinakh believes that this aid will ensure safety of Ukrainian atomic energy.
12/15/2000: UKRAINE SHUTS DOWN FINAL REACTOR AT CHORNOBYL, SEEKS COMPENSATION
On 15 December 2000, Unit 3, the last operating reactor at the Chornobyl nuclear power station, was officially shut down by its chief engineer in front of news cameras.[1] In a Memorandum signed in 1995, Ukraine had committed itself to shut down the Chornobyl nuclear power station no later than 2000. In exchange for the shutdown, the Memorandum promises international aid to Ukraine to finance decommissioning operations at Chornobyl and compensate for the loss in energy production.[2] Ukraine plans to replace the lost power by completing two reactors in Khmelnytskiy and Rivne, pending loans from the EBRD and Euroatom.[3] President Kuchma stressed the need for this aid and also stated that questions remain concerning the economic and social effects of the power plant closure on the residents near the Chornobyl power station.[4] For more information on loans and compensation provided by the Memorandum, see the 4/22/97, 3/18/97, 11/14/96, and 6/6/96 entries in the Chornobyl Shutdown and Western Aid Developments section.
6/26/2000: REFORMS PLANNED FOR ENERHOATOM
The government of Ukraine is planning to create a state joint stock company uniting all of its nuclear power plants. This process is part of the restructuring of Enerhoatom, which was begun in June 2000 on instructions from the Fuel and Energy Ministry to convert all energy sector enterprises into corporations. According to Enerhoatom's acting president Volodymyr Bronnykov, the government will issue a resolution on corporatizing Enerhoatom by the end of 2000. Nuclear power plants will form detached subdivisions of the new joint stock company.
6/22/2000: ENERHOATOM CHARGED WITH TAX EVASION
On 22 June 2000, Nucleonics Week reported that the government of Ukraine has brought criminal charges of tax evasion against Enerhoatom. The charges resulted from an audit by a special investigative group established within Ukraine's State Tax Administration.[1] In remarks made after President Clinton's visit to Kiev, President Leonid Kuchma blamed the crisis in Ukraine's nuclear sector on "unscrupulous officials and businessmen," including former managers of Enerhoatom, and accused them of attempting to destroy the company. Kuchma also indicated that some nuclear power plants needed to be investigated as well.[2] Experts, however, noted that Enerhoatom's tax liability is caused by flaws in Ukrainian tax legislation. While Enerhoatom is receiving payments for only a portion of delivered electricity, NPP taxes are calculated on the basis of generated power, rather than revenues from electricity sales. Adding to the controversy surrounding Enerhoatom, Deputy Prime Minister for Fuel Yulia Tymoshenko accused Peoples' Deputy Hryhoriy Surkis of saddling Enerhoatom with a $1.2 billion debt. Surkis, who has major investments in Ukrainian energy companies and reportedly has good relations with Leonid Kuchma, denies the charges.[3]
6/13/2000: CRIMEA NPP CANCELLED
The government of Ukraine decided to stop construction of the incomplete Crimea NPP, according to a statement by the Ukrainian governmental press service. Construction of Crimea NPP began in 1976 but no progress has been made since 1989. Part of the equipment used on the construction site has been moved to other NPPs.
5/16/2000: UKRAINE MAY HOLD NEW TENDER FOR RIVNE AND KHMELNYTSKYY NPP CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Yulia Tymoshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, told Interfax on 16 May 2000 that the government may hold a new tender for the Rivne and Khmelnytskyy NPP construction projects if the present contractor [not named in report] does not lower its price. The original tender was for the amount of $1.4 billion, however the contractor then presented a figure of $2 billion to complete the work. Tymoshenko said that if the contractor does not lower its price to the original figure, Ukraine can legally hold a new tender for the contract.
4/26/2000: ENERHOATOM VICE-PRESIDENT PAINTS BLEAK PICTURE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY INDUSTRY
In a 26 April 2000 interview in Holos Ukrayiny, Mykola Steynberg, vice-president of Enerhoatom, stated that the Ukrainian nuclear energy industry was on the verge of collapse. According to Steynberg, the biggest problem facing the industry is the lack of payment by energy customers. Enerhoatom is attempting to collect revenue by signing six-month futures contracts with Ukrainian businesses and industries. In addition, Steynberg noted that cut-backs in repairs at NPPs, a disregard for safety regulations, and the movement of skilled personnel to profitable sectors of the economy had become serious problems.
4/14/2000: ALBRIGHT REAFFIRMS US COMMITMENT TO KHARKIV INITIATIVE
During her April 2000 visit to Ukraine, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright reaffirmed US commitment to the Kharkiv Initiative. On 14 April 2000, she highlighted several previous and ongoing programs the United States has supported in Kharkiv Oblast since the initiative began in June 1998. Programs include the provision of $18 million in aid to regional hospitals, training for local businessmen, and support for small and medium businesses. Albright emphasized that other areas of the Ukrainian economy have been positively affected by the programs. She cited the US-funded nuclear fuel diversification program, $7 million in US aid to support Ukrainian science, and support for Ukraine's membership in the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). US Ambassador to Ukraine Stephen Pifer will coordinate further US efforts, Albright stated.
2/14/2000: ENERHOATOM HEAD FIRED AMID REPORTS OF ALLEGED CORRUPTION
Mykola Dudchencko, the head of Ukraine's state owned energy company Enerhoatom, and Enerhoatom first vice-president Tetyana Amosova were fired February 14 amid corruption allegations. Management problems at Enerhoatom are long-standing. An August 1998 report, which was recently released to the press, details several instances of mismanagement, corruption, and improper business practices. In particular, the report stated that the company's management expenses in 1998-1999 were 190 times higher than permitted. Dudchenko, who headed Enerhoatom since 1999, has been replaced by Volodymyr Bronnykov, the former director of the Zaporizhzhya NPP.
2/2000: US TO AID NUCLEAR REGULATORY ADMINISTRATION
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and Ukraine's Nuclear Regulatory Administration (NRA) signed an agreement whereby the US will fund research on nuclear safety in Ukraine. According to NRA head Oleksandr Smyshlyayev, the NRC has embarked on a four- to five-year program to improve the effectiveness of the NRA, through the provision of consultants and financing. The NRC has already been providing the NRA with technical equipment for the past seven years. Future NRC assistance will focus on the same areas as US DOE aid: analyzing the safety of nuclear reactors (required for licensing), licensing work on alternative nuclear fuel for Ukrainian NPPs, adopting new criteria for spent fuel storage, completing a new automated reactor control system, and decreasing radiation received by NPP personnel. Smyshlyayev noted that the NRC program was flexible, so its focus might change in future. He noted that this was particularly important as the NRA did not receive sufficient funding from the Ukrainian budget: in 1999 it received only half the funds it was promised.
12/27/99: ENERHOATOM HEIGHTENS SECURITY AT ALL NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AFTER INCIDENT AT SOUTH UKRAINE NPP
For more information, please see the 12/27/99 entry in the South Ukraine NPP Developments section.
11/26/99: KUCHMA CREATES NUCLEAR ENERGY DIRECTORATE
President Kuchma signed a decree on 26 November 1999 entitled On the State Directorate for Nuclear Energy. The Directorate is a central executive body subordinate to the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy. Its responsibilities include managing nuclear energy use, handling radioactive waste, developing and implementing state policies for the nuclear sector, and creating a domestic nuclear fuel cycle.
10/31/99: UKRAINE WILL NOT CHANGE DECISION CONCERNING WITHDRAWAL FROM BUSHEHR DEAL
Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma told reporters on 30 October 1999 that Ukraine has no plans to withdraw from its decision not to build turbines for the Bushehr NPP. "We have made a definitive decision and are not going to change it," Kuchma stated. For more information on this issue, see the 10/4/99 entry below.
10/99: UKRAINE HOPES TO TRADE RUSSIAN BLACK SEA FLEET DEBTS FOR NUCLEAR FUEL
For more information on this issue, see the entry under Fuel Cycle Developments.
10/4/99: NUCLEAR FUEL SUPPLY DIVERSIFICATION: WESTINGHOUSE
For more information on this issue, see the entry under Fuel Cycle Developments.
10/4/99: FURTHER PRESSURE ON UKRAINE TO RECONSIDER BUSHEHR TURBINE DEAL
UNIAN reported on 4 October 1999 that a source close to the presidential administration said Russia will include Ukrainian companies in Indian and Chinese NPP construction projects only if Ukraine reconsiders its decision not to build turbines for the Bushehr NPP in Iran. UNIAN's source stated that Ukrinterenerho, a state enterprise for foreign trade, will lobby the Ukrainian government and presidential administration for Ukrainian inclusion in foreign construction projects. For more information about Ukraine's withdrawal from the Bushehr deal, see the 1/31/99 entry below.
8/13/99: DRAFT AGREEMENT ON UKRAINIAN-RUSSIAN-KAZAKHSTANI JOINT VENTURE NUCLEAR FUEL PRODUCTION APPROVED
For more information on this issue, see the entry under Fuel Cycle Developments.
7/17/99: DELIVERY OF NUCLEAR FUEL FROM RUSSIA TO UKRAINE DELAYED
For more information on this issue, see the entry under Fuel Cycle Developments.
6/4/99: EBRD TO FUND CONVERSION OF UNFINISHED CRIMEAN NPP
According to Serhiy Yermilov, chariman of the KrymEnergo joint stock company , the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has agreed to fund reconstruction of the unfinished Crimean NPP (located in Shcholkino). The NPP will be turned into a natural gas-burning power plant.
4/22/99: AUDIT REVEALS UNAUTHORIZED SPENDING
On 22 April 1999, the UNIAN news agency reported that a Ukrainian Accounts Chamber audit of the Ministry of Energy and its predecessors (the Ministry of Power Engineering and Electrification and the State Committee on the Use of Atomic Energy) has uncovered misappropriations totalling 972.6 million hryvnyas (approximately $249 million). The Ministry of Energy had created six extrabudgetary funds with money earmarked for covering operating costs at domestic nuclear power plants. The Accounts Chamber also discovered violations involving the fund for creating a national nuclear fuel cycle. From 1996-1997, the fund received 647.7 million hryvnyas (approximately $165.6 million) less than records indicated it had received.
4/2/99: FORMER ICBM MANUFACTURER KHARTRON BUILDS NPP EQUIPMENT
Khartron, a former manufacturer of RS-20 [SS-18 'Satan'] and RS-18 [SS-19 'Stiletto'] ICBMs, has converted 95 percent of its production facilities to non-military purposes.[1] In 1994, together with the US company Westinghouse, Khartron created the Westron joint venture specializing in the production of control systems for Ukrainian NPPs. Westron is the first joint venture set up with the use of Nunn-Lugar funds.[2] Khartron is also supplying pressurized units for an international space station.[1]
4/99: UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS REDUCE OUTPUT AS A RESULT OF FUEL SHORTAGES
For more information on this issue, see the entry under Fuel Cycle Developments.
3/18/99: UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WORKERS POSTPONE STRIKE
Ukrainian nuclear power plant workers decided to postpone a scheduled strike over unpaid wages until the Constitutional Court reviews the current labor legislation prohibiting strikes in the nuclear power sector. The strike was planned for 22 March 1999 and was supposed to involve all employees, except those necessary to ensure stable operation of the nuclear reactors. The protest actions over unpaid wages meanwhile continue.[1] The Ukrainian government allocated 120 million hryvnyas ($30 million) to pay wage arrears; the amount will, however, be distributed between employees of both the nuclear and non-nuclear power sectors.[2]
2/18/99: PROTESTS AT NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ESCALATE, TENT CAMPS SET UP
In February 1999, thousands of Ukrainian nuclear power plant workers launched protests demanding the payment of their wages and wage arrears. On 18 February 1999 about 700 employees from nuclear power plants picketed at the Ukrainian government headquarters in Kiev.[2] Protests developed at all five Ukrainian nuclear power plants during the following week, after a promise made by senior government officials to provide 390 million hryvnyas ($108 million) to pay delayed salaries went unfulfilled.[3] Seeing no progress, the workers held rallies and started to set up tent camps.[4] The protesters are depriving themselves of food and sleep and are prepared to launch an industry-wide hunger strike if their demands are not met.[1,3] The situation could impact safety at the power plants.[5] A conference of Enerhoatom employees recognized the validity of the workers' demands and approved the protest action. The conference also appealed to Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma to fulfill the government's agreements concerning salaries for nuclear power plant workers.[6] According to some sources, the salary debt totals 150 million hryvnyas ($42 million),[4,5,7,8] while other sources indicated 52 million hryvnyas ($15 million).[1,2]
2/8/99: EXPERTS SEE NUCLEAR ENERGY CRISIS AS NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT
Twenty-eight managers and senior experts involved in the Ukrainian nuclear field addressed an appeal to President Leonid Kuchma, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Oleksandr Tkachenko, and Prime Minister Valeriy Pustovoytenko, in which they stated that "the deep and many-sided crisis in nuclear energy poses a direct threat to Ukraine's national security." The appeal points out the deteriorating state of the Ukrainian nuclear industry, demonstrated by problems with the Ukrainian power grid, which poses a potential threat to safe nuclear power plant operations, and by a lack of resources for maintaining a proper level of output.
2/8/99: KUCHMA BANS BARTER ON WHOLESALE ENERGY MARKET AT UNREGULATED RATES
Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma issued a resolution effective 1 January 1999, banning barter transactions on the wholesale energy market at unregulated rates.
1/31/99: "KHARKIV INITIATIVE" NOT LIVING UP TO UKRAINIAN EXPECTATIONS
Ukraine's withdrawal from the $240 million Bushehr project in March 1998 was finalized after the United States agreed to compensate Kharkiv regional businesses and government. The "Kharkiv Initiative" began in June 1998. As part of the initiative, the United States agreed to back Ukraine's membership in the MTCR. Membership in MTCR allows Ukraine to export space launch vehicle technology.[1] However, Ukraine's satellite-launch business was set back after the crash of a Zenit rocket. Kharkiv's Governor, Oleg Demin, has said he is still waiting to see concrete results from the initiative. Turboatom, which held the Bushehr contract, has suggested other possible areas of cooperation. These include joint projects to upgrade Ukrainian NPP safety with equipment produced in both the United States and Ukraine, and a joint US-Ukrainian venture to produce turbine blades, which Ukraine currently imports from Russia. US ambassador to Ukraine Stephen Pifer offered his support, but stated that the United States cannot force US businesses to invest in any of these projects.[2] In an interview in the Ukrainian newspaper Zerkalo nedeli, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright stated that the US Department of Commerce would publish a guide for US companies considering projects in the Kharkiv region. In addition, the United States Agency for International Development and Kharkiv Oblast are preparing a contract for the business analysis of and strategic planning for Kharkiv Oblast.[3] For more information on the progress of the "Kharkiv Initiative," see the 12/6/98entry below.
12/6/98: "KHARKIV INITIATIVE" MOVES AHEAD AFTER VISIT BY US OFFICIAL
The United States Coordinator for NIS assistance,William Taylor, visited Kharkiv on 6 December to explore further options for US investment in the region. The "Kharkiv Initiative" began as a US aid program for industries affected by Ukraine's withdrawal from the Bushehr turbine deal. For more details, see the overview Ukraine, Bushehr and the MTCR.
11/20/98: KUCHMA ORDERS INVESTIGATION OF PROFIT CONCEALMENT AND TAX EVASION
On 20 November 1998, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma ordered an investigation of allegations that Ukrainian NPPs concealed profits from using $1.1 billion worth of nuclear fuel supplied by Russia in exchange for Ukrainian warheads. They have also been charged with failure to pay taxes on revenues generated by use of the fuel.
9/29/98: AGREEMENT ON WAGE ARREARS REACHED AFTER PROTESTS
Protests by Ukraine's nuclear power sector workers ended on 29 September, after the Ukrainian government and union leaders signed an agreement on paying wages and debts.[1] The protesters from Ukraine's five nuclear power plants were expressing anger over a several month delay in wage payments. There were approximately 3,000 workers demonstrating at the Zaporizhzhya and South Ukraine NPPs. 300 protesters gathered in Kiev at government headquarters.[2] The government agreed to use a portion of the money normally allotted for nuclear fuel purchases to pay monthly wages. In the government's new plan, overdue wages will be paid by the end of the year with the help of 29.3 million hryvnyas ($ 7.6 million) allocated specifically for this purpose and revenue from a value-added tax on the sale of nuclear electricity.[1] The workers are, however, also concerned with the loss of value of their delayed wages due to the currency devaluation.[2] The protests were carried out in spite of Ukrainian legislation prohibiting such actions.[3] Operations at the five nuclear power plants were not affected by the protests.[2]
7/21/98: US VICE-PRESIDENT AL GORE VISITS UKRAINE
In July 1998, US Vice-President Al Gore visited Ukraine on the occasion of the second Kuchma-Gore committee meeting (US-Ukraine Binational Commission). During the meeting, both sides agreed on cooperation in enhancing the safety of Ukraine's nuclear power plants and establishing a radiation and ecology research laboratory in the International Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety. Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma complimented US-Ukrainian cooperation on international security issues, specifically in the areas of nuclear arms nonproliferation, missile technology controls, and developing a military-political partnership. Gore, on the other hand, favorably assessed Ukraine's nuclear disarmament initiatives. [1,2] He also said that, as part of the "Kharkiv Initiative," the United States will organize a business development trip to the United States for officials in Kharkiv's power sector.[3]
6/16/98: UNITED STATES AND UKRAINE BEGIN "KHARKIV INITIATIVE"
Representatives from several US government departments and agencies, along with US Ambassador to Ukraine Stephen Pifer, arrived in Kharkiv to discuss investment options in the region. The group planned to address the the negative economic consequences of Ukraine's decision not to participate in supplying turbines to the Bushehr NPP in Iran. Ukraine has lost $260 million and Turboatom, the company which held the contract, is reported to have lost $5 million.[1] The Kharkiv Oblast association of businessmen and entrepreneurs, Hranit, believes that thousands of jobs were lost, and has asked President Leonid Kuchma to reconsider the decision.[2] For more information, see the 3/6/98 entry below.
3/6/98: UKRAINE WITHDRAWS FROM PLAN TO SUPPLY TURBINES TO BUSHEHR NPP
After a meeting with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Hennadiy Udovenko announced that Ukraine had cancelled Turboatom's plans to supply two turbines to the Bushehr NPP in Iran. For more information see the overview Ukraine, Bushehr, and the MTCR.
4/97: UKRAINE WARNS AGAINST JOINT FUEL PRODUCTION VENTURE WITH RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN
For more information on this issue, see the entry under Fuel Cycle Developments.
11/1/96: NUCLEAR POWER ENERGY TO BE SOLD ONLY THROUGH REGIONAL ENERGY SYSTEMS
Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavel Lazarenko met with the directors and chief engineers of nuclear power plants to discuss the sale of nuclear power. Lazarenko said that electricity generated by Ukrainian nuclear power plants would only be sold through regional, not private, companies.
10/26/96: MINISTRY OF ATOMIC ENERGY CREATED
The Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council approved the creation of a Ministry of Atomic Energy which would oversee all nuclear issues, with an emphasis on safety standards. The new Ministry will possess greater authority than that of the State Committee for the Use of Nuclear Energy.
10/18/96: DIFFICULTIES IN ENERGY SYSTEM
According to the Ministry of Power and Electrification, Ukraine's energy system could collapse at any time. Emergency shutdown of generating unit No.1 at Khmelnytskyy nuclear power station and reductions in capacity at Chornobyl, Rivne and South Ukrainian nuclear power stations have caused Ukraine to operate its electricity engineering system at frequencies between 49.01 and 49.2 Hz.
10/8/96: BELARUS PLAN FOR ARMY FIRING EXERCISE IN CHORNOBYL ZONE IS BEING STRONGLY CRITICIZED BY UKRAINIAN SCIENTISTS
During his trip to the Chornobyl contaminated Gomel region, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenko proposed a large-scale army excercise with field firing to be conducted in the depopulated zone. According to 'Segodnya', Defence Ministries staff had already worked out the plan of excercise, triggering a great deal of criticism from Ukrainian scientific circles. According to Vasil Nesterenko, director of the Institute of Radiation Safety, "such an ill-considered experiment may cause a disaster by spreading radioactivity to areas that have not been affected yet".
9/19/96: NUCLEAR ENERGY CHAIRMAN COMMENTS ON NUCLEAR ENERGY SECTOR
Viktor Chebrov, Chairman of the Ukrainian State Committee for the Use of Nuclear Energy, said that as of 9/96, the nuclear power sector produced nearly 45% of Ukraine's total electric power output, but in early 1996 had been paid for just over half of the nuclear power produced--3 percent in cash and 50 percent in services. Chebrov said that while approximately 8,500 nuclear specialists emigrated to Russia in 1993-1994 due to economic difficulties, the situation has stabilized. As for future plans, Chebrov said that the Russian company TVEL had won a tender to create a complete nuclear fuel cycle in Ukraine.
7/28/96: NEW CORPORATION FORMED TO SELL NUCLEAR-GENERATED ELECTRICITY
A new corporation, UkrEnerhoAtom, has been established in Ukraine to sell electricity produced by Ukrainian nuclear power plants. According to an anonymous source at the Chornobyl press center, power sales will be conducted on a territorial level, directly with consumers. However, it is still unclear in what way the energy market shares for each of the five Ukrainian nuclear power plants will be stipulated. According to Chornobyl plant manager Serhiy Parashyn, who is one of the founders of UkrEnerhoAtom, the decision to create the enterprise was made by a council of directors from each of the five nuclear power plants. However, the new corporation will not be involved in the plants' operations and thus will have no responsibility for the reactors' operational safety. It is expected that Ukrainian nuclear power plants will be able to sell electric power directly to customers with payments remitted to the corporate account of the new corporation, thus avoiding the intermediate services of the Energy Ministry, which currently sells all types of power. None of the corporation's business activities will be carried out independently; all of these activities will be capitalized solely by the plants. The president of UkrEnerhoAtom will be elected by the corporation's Board of Directors. It was decided that the corporate headquarters will be located in Enerhodar (Zaporizhzhya NPP) and that the new company's charter will be completed at the second meeting of the Board in 9/96.
7/1/96: 30 WORKERS GO ON HUNGER STRIKE AT CHORNOBYL
According to Ukrainian State Committee on the Use of Atomic Energy (Derzhkomatom) spokesman Leonid Kostiuk, 30 workers of the Chornobyl construction department went on a hunger strike demanding payment of several months of back wages. Other employees of the Chornobyl construction department have been on strike since 6/15/95. The main cause of the difficult financial situation at Chornobyl is that consumers are not paying for electricity. In addition, the plant's employees have been paid almost nothing from the state budget allocations for Chornobyl because the plant's management had to cover repair and maintenance expenses first. The total number of participants of both hunger and regular strikes is 129.
7/1/96: LOWER RATES BUT IMMEDIATE PAYMENT
The Ukrainian government decided to allow Ukrainian power plants to sell electricity at slightly lower rates to those customers who pay for it in full immediately rather than purchasing it on credit. Ukrainian customers and enterprises owe more than $700 million in electricity bills to Ukrainian nuclear power plants.
7/96: EUROPEAN COMPANIES OFFER TO HELP FINISH 3 VVER REACTORS
Three European companies, Electricite de France (EDF), Tractabel of Belgium, and IVO of Finland have indicated their willingness to participate in the completion of three unfinished VVER-type reactors--Khmelnytskyy-2, Rivne-2, and Zaporizhzhya-6.
5/25/96: GREENPEACE ON TAZHLYTSKA NPP PROJECT
The Mykolaiv "Greenpeace" association sent an appeal to Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma regarding his plans to go ahead with the Tazhlytska NPP project. (Further information on this project is not available at this time.) The appeal points out that, according to expert analysis, the project is harmful both from the point of view of the environment, and the economy.
5/24/96: ONLY $20 MILLION OF $86 MILLION RECEIVED
According to Minister of the Environment Yuriy Kostenko, of $86 million planned for safety maintenance through the winter period of 1996, nuclear power plants have received only $20 million. This, plus the non-payment of $180 million in wages to nuclear plant employees, has created a situation where many nuclear power plants cannot carry out repair work.
5/15/96: UKRAINE ADOPTS NATIONAL ENERGY PLAN THROUGH 2010. WILL IT WORK?
The Verkhovna Rada approved "Ukraine's National Energy Program Through 2010." The program emphasizes independence for Ukraine in the area of electricity, to be achieved through the restructuring of the electricity sector, construction of thermal power plants, and development of the nuclear energy sector. The program envisages that in 2010 50% of Ukraine's electricity will be produced by thermal power plants, 40% by nuclear power plants, and 10% by alternative sources, Oleksandr Kozhuchko, Chairman of the Rada Commission on the Fuel-Energy Complex, told INTERFAX. In the first three months of 1996, nuclear power plants produced 46% of electricity in Ukraine, an increase in comparison with the corresponding figure of 38% in 1995. Thermal power plants produced less than 50% of electricity in the first three months of 1996. The national Energy Program also envisages the development of coal and gas industries. The Rada instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to work out measures aimed at the realization of the Program, and to make additions and corrections to the National Energy Program as necessary, depending on the changes in the socio-economic situation in Ukraine.
4/15/96: COULD UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT STOP BRAIN-DRAIN?
According to Nur Nihmatullin, head of Derzhkomatom, the nuclear industry in Ukraine is one of the three best paid sectors, along with banking and oil. Top industry officials in Ukraine now earn monthly salaries of about $500--about seven times the average wage. In the initial days after the collapse of the Soviet Union, hundreds of nuclear specialists fled from Ukraine to Russia, attracted by salaries four times higher. After the 1990 moratorium on the construction of nuclear power stations in Ukraine was scrapped in 1993, Derzhkomatom persuaded the government to raise salaries. Nuclear industry officials now see themselves as a vehicle for saving the national economy and view with deep suspicion Western criticism of their Soviet-era technology.
4-6/96: ENERHOATOM TO BE SET UP
According to a draft submitted by President Leonid Kuchma, a national generating company called Enerhoatom will be set up based on Ukraine's nuclear power plants. The basic proposal originated in Derzhkomatom, which says that the reform will be completed by 12/96. Enerhoatom is expected to supervise nuclear power stations and sales of nuclear electricity, handle fuel purchases, improve the safety culture at NPPs, and organize training and NPP staff. The board of the new company will be composed of Ukrainian NPP managers. Mykhailo Umanets, former Chairman of Derzhkomatom and a major proponent of providing more freedom in the nuclear sector, is acting as a consultant on the planned changes.
4/27/96:UKRAINIAN-CHINESE COOPERATION ON THE PEACEFUL USE OF ATOMIC ENERGY
In Beijing, a representative of the Ukrainian State Committee on the Use of Atomic Energy (Derzhkomatom) and a representative of the People's Republic of China signed an agreement on cooperation in the peaceful use of atomic energy. The Agreement foresees cooperation in the mining and milling of uranium ore, scientific research and design work for VVER reactors, work on the construction of nuclear power plants and safety at these plants.
4/1/96: UKRAINE HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY NUCLEAR FUEL RODS FROM RUSSIA
For more information on this issue, see the entry under Fuel Cycle Developments.
3/16/96: NPPS PROVIDE 45% OF UKRAINE'S ELECTRICITY
According to the Commission of Nuclear Policy and Environmental Safety, in 3/96 Ukraine's nuclear power plants in were producing 45% of the electricity in Ukraine.
3/12/96: UKRAINE REDUCED SUPPLIES OF POWER FOR 7000 FACTORIES
Ukraine was forced to cut off or substantially reduce supplies of power for 7000 of the 40,000 factories which have not paid their energy bills. Outstanding bills reportedly total approximately $980 million.
3/96: UKRAINIAN REACTORS' LOAD FACTORS THROUGH 3/96
According to a Western study, none of the 15 power reactors in Ukraine has achieved an annual load factor of over 80%, but five of them achieved an annual load factor of over 70%. Ukraine's average annual load factor for power units was 59% by the end of 3/96. The country's RBMK reactors had an average load factor of 66.9% over the past 12 months and the average lifetime load factor at these reactors was 63.1%. In the case of Ukrainian VVER-1000 reactors, the annual load factor was 62.6% and the lifetime load factor totaled 63.0%.
2/21/96: KUCHMA PROPOSES JOINT COMMISSION WITH GORE
During a meeting at the US White House, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma proposed that the United States and Ukraine create a joint commission on energy to be chaired by Kuchma and US Vice President Al Gore. Kuchma also invited Gore to visit Kiev on the tenth anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster and requested that the Chornobyl issue be raised at the 4/19-20/96 summit of G-7 leaders in Moscow.
2/12/96: RUSSIA REMOVES UKRAINE FROM JOINT POWER GRID FOR THE SECOND TIME
Russia removed Ukraine from their joint power grid for the second time in two months after it noted a surge in demand that the grid could not handle. The frequency of the current in Ukraine's power grid dropped from 49.5 to 49.23 Hz. Russian Energy Ministry spokeswoman Oksana Liven said that it was unlikely that Ukraine would be reconnected in the near future. The cut-off has forced a number of factories to close and Kiev is considering temporarily closing major industrial sites to prevent the collapse of the entire system. According to the Ukrainian National Dispatchers Center, the drop in Ukrainian power output that prompted the cut-off was caused by a coal-miners strike and an emergency shutdown of Unit 2 at the South Ukraine NPP.
1/96: NUCLEAR POWER CONTINUES TO THRIVE IN UKRAINE
Ukraine's nuclear power plants produced 50% of Ukraine's electricity in 1/96.
1/31/96: UKRAINIAN NPPs WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATED CONTROL SYSTEMS
The State Committee for the Use of Atomic Energy confirmed that Ukrainian NPPs will be equipped with automated control systems (ASTUP) developed at Khartron in Kharkiv. The first ASTUP will be set up at the beginning of 1997. In 1998, the system will be installed at South Ukraine 1 and Khmelnytskyy 1. In 1999, it will be installed in South Ukraine 2 and 3. By 2002, ASTUP should be installed on almost every Ukrainian reactor. The "Eastern Economist" reports that this system was created by a Westinghouse (United States)-Khartron joint venture. Westinghouse reportedly invested $200 million in the project, a figure matched by the US Department of Energy. This source also reports that the first ASTUP will be installed at Zaporizhzhya 1.
1/25/96: ZAGRANATOMENERGOSTROY WILL BUILD TURBINES FOR BUSHEHR PLANT
Kharkiv's Turboatom plant is expected to sign a production contract in the first quarter of 1996 with Moscow's ZagranAtomEnergoStroy to build two turbines for the Iranian nuclear power plant in Bushehr. Original construction was started in the early 1980s by the Moscow firm and Siemens, but was halted due to an international embargo against the sale and development of nuclear technology in Iran.
1/24/96: SHORTCOMINGS IN NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY SHOULD BE ELIMINATED
A plenary meeting of the central committee of the trade unions of nuclear power workers recommended that the State Committee for the Use of Atomic Energy, the central committee of trade unions, and the sector's trade union committees should eliminate shortcomings in the industry and improve conditions and work safety at nuclear enterprises.
1/18/96: 23% OF ELECTRIC ENERGY WILL BE SOLD DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS
According to According to the Deputy Minister of Energy Valentiyn Bondarenko, due to the Ministry of Energy's inability to pay the power industry on time, the Cabinet of Ministers has allowed NPPs to sell 23% of electric energy directly to consumers.
1/16/96: UKRAINE'S NPPs COULD MEET 20% OF NECESSARY STANDARDS
Nur Nihmatullin, the first deputy chairman of Derzhkomatom, reported that the allocations in the state budget for nuclear safety are such that Ukraine's NPPs are only able to meet 20% of necessary standards. In 1996, the sector will have to contend with the fact that 70% of the equipment at nuclear power plants is obsolete and four units will need to be halted for renovations which the sector cannot presently fund. Derzhkomatom plans to increase addressed sales of electric power as part of an effort to form a market for electricity in Ukraine.
1995: UKRAINE PROVIDES MORE ELECTRICITY BUT NUMBER OF EMERGENCIES IS LARGE
Reportedly, Ukrainian NPPs provided 2.4% more electricity in 1995 than in 1994 which accounted for 36.7% of the total energy output for the entire year. (NUCNET NEWS reported that NPPs provided 34.2% of Ukraine's electricity in 1994.) NUCLEAR ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL reported that in the winter of 1995 NPPs provided 40% of Ukraine's electricity. The planned supply of electricity from NPPs for 1995 was 34.3% and nuclear power's installed capacity share is only 26.2% in Ukraine. The average load factor, according to NUCNET NEWS, was 61.8%. In addition, electricity production by Ukraine's nuclear power plants in 1995 was only 92% of that in 1990. There were 85 emergencies in 1995; one of these emergencies was at Chornobyl and rated a level three (it was only reported in 3/96), ten were rated as level 1 and the rest were level 0 on the INES scale.
1995: ELECTRICITY GENERATION INCREASED BY 2.5%
According to Derzhkomatom officials, there was a 2.5% increase in electricity generation in 1995. However, consumer debt totaling $54 million is preventing Ukraine from purchasing enough nuclear fuel from Russia to keep its stations operational. The industry also does not have enough money to replace outmoded equipment at Ukrainian NPPs.
12/20/95: UKRAINIAN-CANADIAN NUCLEAR COOPERATION AGREEMENT
Ukraine and Canada signed a nuclear co-operation agreement which allows for bilateral trade of nuclear material and equipment to help Ukraine with its energy needs.
12/20/95: WILL UKRAINE'S NUCLEAR INDUSTRY BE PRIVATIZED?
It was reported that a proposal to privatize Ukraine's nuclear power industry has been discussed in Derzhkomatom. Mikhailo Umanets warned that a stabilization fund must be set up before the NPPs can be transferred to the private sector. The ex-director of the Zaporizhzhya NPP, Volodymyr Bronnikov, was against the idea of privatizing the nuclear power industry.
12/18/95: UKRAINE'S POWER GRID RECONNECTED TO RUSSIAN
It was reported that Ukraine's power grid was reconnected to the Russian power grid, raising the frequency of current in Ukraine's grid to 49.6-49.7 Hz.
12/14/95: UKRAINE COULD REDUCE OVERALL POWER CONSUMPTION BY 5-10%
The Global Energy Saving Strategy for Ukraine, under the auspices of TACIS, estimated potential energy saving in Ukraine at 26% of present demand. It predicted that with almost zero costs, Ukraine could reduce overall power consumption by 5-10% within two years. Greenpeace presented a report in late 10/95 which showed that energy consumption between 1990-94 dropped by 30.8%. This report claims that only 55.2% of the country's electricity generating capacity is actually being utilized.
12/5/95: RUSSIA DISCONNECTS UKRAINE FROM JOINT POWER GRID
Russia disconnected Ukraine from a joint power grid for using too much power. Oleksandr Voyevoda, an engineer at the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy, said the surge in Ukrainian consumption was due to the shutdown of a Zaporizhzhya reactor (see 12/5/95 in Zaporizhzhya Comments) and hoped that Russia would bring Ukraine back on line when Zaporizhzhya reactors 4 and 5 are repaired. After being disconnected, the frequency of the current in Ukraine's power grid dropped from 49.6 to 49.2-49.3 Hz. When the current is this low the situation is referred to as critical because the stability of the current is in jeopardy.
11/95: NPPs SUPPLY 37% OF TOTAL ELECTRICITY GENERATION
In the first 11 months of 1995, NPPs reportedly supplied 37% of Ukraine’s electricity.
10-11/95: UKRAINE PLANS TO EXPAND NUCLEAR INFRASTRUCTURE
Mikhailo Umanets reported at an international nuclear power symposium that by the year 2000 Ukraine plans to expand the nuclear infrastructure in Ukraine from 34.2% to 40% of domestic electrical power by commissioning Zaporizhzhya-6, Rivne-4, and Khmelnytskyy -2 and 4.
10/25/95: $225 MILLION WERE ALLOCATED TO UKRAINE
The US Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act (H.R. 1868) allocated $225 million to Ukraine. $50 million is for improving safety of nuclear reactors and improving energy self-sufficiency. $2 million is for an energy distribution study.
9/12/95: ELECTRICITY FROM UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS IS SAID TO BE 20% CHEAPER THAN OTHER PLANTS
Chairman of Derzhkomatom Mikhail Umanets reported that electricity generated by Ukrainian nuclear power stations is 20% cheaper than that produced by conventional thermal plants. He also stated that Ukraine intends to complete construction of all those nuclear units on which construction has started.
9/1/95: NUCLEAR POWER ENGINEERING COMPLEX LEADERS APPEAL TO KUCHMA
An appeal was made to President Kuchma from the trade union leaders of the enterprises in the nuclear power engineering complex. Foremost amongst their concerns were the payment crisis and the need to ensure accident-free operation of the enterprises.
9/1/95: UKRAINE'S ENERGY SITUATION IS WORSE THAN LAST YEAR
A government official reported that Ukraine's energy situation is much worse than last year. The government had planned to stockpile 10 tons of coal, but instead has been burning it to meet power needs. The Cabinet of Ministers will soon discuss the possibility of scheduled cut-offs in response to limited power resources.
9/95: $426 MILLION IS NEEDED TO MAINTAIN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
According to Derzhkomatom, $426 million is needed to maintain operations of existing nuclear power plants during 1995. Derzhkomatom Chairman Mykhailo Umanets hopes that if the NPPs are kept operational nuclear output will increase by 50 percent by 2020. According to Nur Nihmatullin, much of this will depend on Ukraine's ability to raise foreign loans.
9/95: UKRAINE IS PLANNING TO RESTRUCTURE ITS ENERGY SECTOR
Nur Nihmatullin announced that Ukraine is planning to restructure its energy sector by establishing six thermal generating companies and one nuclear generating company. These will all be state controlled and not joint stock companies.
8/9/95: UKRAINE AND RUSSIA RE-SYNCHRONIZED ELECTRICITY GRIDS
Ukraine and Russia have now re-synchronized their electricity grids after an 18 month separation accompanied by operating problems. The two states hope that this move will facilitate greater operational stability.
8/10/95: APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR NUCLEAR SAFETY
An appeal to President Kuchma was made by Vasyl Synko, Chairman of the Kiev region State Administration; Valeriy Shmarov, Defense Minister; Boris Olinyk, member of the Supreme Rada and the Rada Commission on Foreign Affairs and CIS Relations; Boris Paton, President of the National Academy of Sciences; Mikhailo Umanets, Chairman of the State Committee for the Use of Atomic Energy; Oleksandr Osakhovskyy, president of the Servispromatom Joint-Stock Company; and Kostiantyn Prodyn, public activist. This appeal proposed setting up at Chornobyl an international center for Nuclear Safety, to be founded by the presidents of the states which extract and process uranium, operate nuclear power plants, and manufacture nuclear weapons. Initially, this would only include the presidents of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and the United States. This appeal made economic arguments in favor of the center.
8/10/95: NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS DROPPED IN 1995
It was reported by the State Committee for the Use of Atomic Energy (SCUAE) that the number of regime violations in the first half of 1995 dropped by 31% in comparison to the first six months of 1994. In the first half of 1995, 47% of electricity supplies, worth around $250 million, went unpaid. The nuclear power plants (NPPs) contributed 38.6 billion kWh or 39.1% of Ukraine's overall electricity output in the first half of 1995. Only eight reactors are functioning as of August 3, according to the public relations office of SCUAE. Their total output is 5,312 mw. The SCUAE reports that the 5 NPPs contributed only 32.2% of the overall electricity output in 1994. Of the 53 incidents in the first seven months of 1995, 29 occurred at Zaporizhzhya and only one at Chornobyl. Chornobyl accounted for 6.9% of the total electricity output in Ukraine, the highest production level for any Ukrainian NPP.
7/13/95: LICENSES WILL REDUCE CHORNOBYL-TYPE ACCIDENTS
Organizations that operate nuclear power stations will be required to obtain licenses, according to Yuriy Kostenko, Minister of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety. This procedure is practiced in many other countries and should reduce the risk of another Chornobyl-type accident occurring again.
7/13/95: NO UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS HAVE REQUISITE ONE-YEAR SUPPLY OF FUEL
According to Yuriy Kostenko, none of the Ukrainian nuclear power plants has the requisite one year supply of fresh nuclear fuel.
7/95: WATER "DEFICIT" WILL INCREASE
It is estimated that by 2000 Ukraine's rivers will not be able to supply the 16 billion cubic meters of water needed for the safe operation of all of its power plants. This will increase the water "deficit" four-fold since 1984.
6/29/95: SYMPOSIUM ON REACTOR SAFETY: MORE PROBLEMS THAN RESULTS
A three-day symposium on reactor safety and energy policy was held in Germany, at which Ukrainian and Russian nuclear experts admitted that there were serious problems in their national nuclear power stations. They blamed their desperate economic situations and stated that Western aid is not being provided quickly enough. Yuriy Kostenko, Ukrainian Minister of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety blamed shoddy Soviet equipment and poorly trained personnel for the relatively high number of incidents at Ukrainian plants. Another problem is that much of the equipment is operating beyond its lifetime but Ukraine has no money to replace the old equipment. Other questions to be resolved include guaranteeing the supply of nuclear fuel, waste management for spent fuel rods, and the embrittlement of reactor shells of older power stations. There are more than 4,000 spent fuel rods sitting in cooling installations that are "filled to the brim." Dry storage pools are going to be set up on-site at the plants.
6/15/95: CONSORTIUM WILL ASSIST IN COMPLETING TWO POWER UNITS
Electricite de France (EDF), Tractebel Energy Engineering (TEE), and IVO International have formed a consortium and won a EC contract to assist Derzhkomatom complete two VVER-1000 power units (Rivne-4 and Khmelnytskyy -2). The contract, worth more $3.97 million, has not been signed yet. This contract may include financing for Unit 6 at Zaporizhzhya, which has been completed by Ukraine with no international assistance.
6/12/95: SPENT FUEL IS REPROCESSED IN KRASNOYARSK
For more information on this issue, see the entry under Fuel Cycle Developments.
6/95: UKRAINIAN ANNUAL LOAD FACTOR
Ukraine's average annual load factor was 62.2%. The lifetime average load factor is 65.1%. PWRs had the highest annual load factor, 63.3% annual and 65.6% lifetime. RBMKs were 56.0% annual and 61.7% lifetime. The highest annual load factors were at Rivne 1 and 2, followed by Zaporizhzhya 4.
6/95: NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS REPRESENTED 25% OF ELECTRICITY GENERATION
In the first half of 1995, nuclear power supplied 39.1% of total power generation in Ukraine while nuclear power plants represented 25% of total potential electricity generation.
6/95: TACIS AID TO BE PROVIDED TO UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR REACTORS AND FACILITIES
The State Committee for the Use of Atomic Energy and the EC Commission agreed to a general sum of 53.5 million ECU for the TACIS '92, '93, and '94 programs. 25.5 million ECU will be used to purchase equipment and 28 million ECU will be used for engineering work. Currently, funds from TACIS '92 and '93 are being used for: 8 projects totaling 9.5 million ECU with 4.5 million ECU for equipment at the South Ukraine NPP; 11 projects totaling 9.5 million ECU with 4.5 million for equipment at the Rivne NPP; 3 projects totaling 5.5 million with 3.0 million for equipment at the Zaporizhzhya NPP; 1 project totaling 1.5 million ECU at the Chornobyl NPP; 1 project totaling 1 million ECU at the Kiev and Kharkiv Institutes; and 9 projects totaling 8 million ECU, with 2 million ECU going toward a simulator of a VVER 440/213, at the State Committee for the Use of Atomic Energy. As of 12/94 contracts had been signed with French, Danish, and German companies.
5/18/95: DERZHKOMATOM PROPOSES REORGANIZATION OF UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
Derzhkomatom has proposed reorganizing Ukraine's nuclear industry as a government-owned holding company that operates through branch companies and joint-stock enterprises. These firms would produce electricity and manage the nuclear fuel cycle. Such reform is necessary in order for Ukraine to develop a market economy; additionally, this will allow the crucial tasks that the nuclear industry performs to continue, in spite of the dire economic straits that Ukraine is in.
3/20/95: DERZHKOMATOM WILL BE UNITED WITH MINENERGO
A draft Presidential decree circulating in Kiev that would unite Derzhkomatom and Minenergo has received the support of top Derzhkomatom officials; this is an effort to create a unified national nuclear infrastructure. First Deputy Chairman of Derzhkomatom Nur Nihmatullin stated that it was a good proposal that would facilitate the establishment of a system for dealing with radioactive waste as well as a support system for the nuclear industry. Chairman of Derzhkomatom Mikhailo Umanets supports the idea as long as the new organization assumes complete responsibility for all problems related to the nuclear fuel cycle.
3/14/95: BROOKHAVEN LABORATORY WILL PROVIDE ANALYTICAL SIMULATORS
In late 1994 Brookhaven National Laboratory provided Ukraine with a full-scale simulator for training plant operators. The Lab is planning now to provide Ukraine with analytical simulators that are designed to train government regulatory officials, rather than plant operators. These simulators are being provided under the auspices of the Lisbon Initiative.
3/14/95: GOVERNMENT FUNDS WILL BE APPROPRIATED FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY SECTOR
President Kuchma has issued a new decree that calls for the appropriation of government funds for the nuclear energy sector. The State Committee on the Use of Atomic Energy will allocate some of the money for the completion of Unit 6 at Zaporizhzhya.
3/9/95: WESTINGHOUSE-KHARTRON AGREEMENT
Westinghouse and Khartron have signed an agreement worth $200,000 in which the feasibility of using Westinghouse's Instrumentation and Control (I&C) technology on 10 VVER-1000 reactors will be investigated. Westinghouse will provide $200,000 and Khartron will provide the other half.
3/2/95: NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY PERSONNEL WILL NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR QUALITY OF WORK
Derzhkomatom informed the government that the financial situation is so dire for the nuclear power industry that its personnel will no longer accept responsibility for the quality of work performed at the plants. Spring and summer repairs have been postponed. The nuclear plants require $224 million for fresh fuel in 1995 but Derzhkomatom has only $93 million. The lack of finances has required power cutbacks at Chornobyl and the same could happen at other plants as well. Ukraine had plans to purchase spare parts worth $52 million, but that has been put on hold indefinitely. Fresh fuel was delivered to Rivne just as Unit 1 required refueling. The fuel for Rivne was paid out of a general fuel fund for all nuclear plants in Ukraine, but that resulted in a lack of finances to purchase fuel for Unit 1 at the South Ukraine plant.
2/27/95: THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REQUESTS ADDITIONAL MONEY
The Department of Energy (DOE) has requested an additional $83.8 million for reactor safety upgrades in the former Soviet Union. Ukraine and Russia are to receive the bulk of the money--$78.8 million. The shut-down of Chornobyl is one of the projects this money will be used for. DOE FY 95 funding included $11 million for a simulator at Khmelnytskyy as well as $75 million for activities in both Russia and Ukraine.
2/16/95: UKRAINIAN NPPS DENY THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES
The managers of most of Ukraine's nuclear power plants are protesting the lack of funding they are receiving, and denying their responsibility to perform maintenance and safety procedures. During the course of the past three years, the nuclear power industry provided Ukraine with more than 80 trillion karbovantsi, yet received in appropriations only 16 percent of the total value of the power they produced.
2/13/95: KIEV MAINTAINS THAT RUSSIAN NUCLEAR FUEL RODS ARE LOW-QUALITY
For more information on this issue, see the entry under Fuel Cycle Developments.
1/12/95: ALL UKRAINE'S NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS ARE OPERATIONAL
All 14 of Ukraine's nuclear power plants are currently operational. The 14 units are Chornobyl 1 and 3, Rivne 1-3, Khmelnytskyy 1, South Ukraine 1-3, and Zaporizhzhya 1-5.
1/12/95: TECNATOM WILL DELIVER NUCLEAR SAFETY EQUIPMENT TO ZAPORIZHZHYA
Tecnatom, a Spanish company that specializes in non-destructive examination equipment, plans to $2 million worth of nuclear safety equipment to Zaporizhzhya beginning in 9/95; this is the first contract under which a western company will directly supply equipment to a Ukrainian plant. Zaporizhzhya will pay Tecnatom directly; the money is being raised through barter deals with uranium. This contract is separate from the EU's TACIS program, which is being held up due to third-party liability problems. Tecnatom is not concerned about third-party liability because its contract specifies that all responsibility ends once the equipment is tested successfully.
1/11/95: TASK FORCE DISCUSSES POSSIBILITY OF NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY PRIVATIZING
Derzhkomatom has created a task force to discuss the possibility of privatizing the nuclear power industry. The task force includes individuals from nuclear power stations as well as from uranium mining facilities, and engineering plants. The process of privatization would be very complex in Ukraine because the nuclear enterprises encompass many other facilities.
1/1/95: UKRAINE'S ELECTRICITY PRODUCED BY NUCLEAR POWER
The proportion of Ukraine's electricity produced by nuclear power reached a high of 52 percent at certain times during 1994, despite the fact that the total output of nuclear-generated electricity dropped as a result of unscheduled reactor shut-downs. This was because Ukraine experienced a decline of 16 percent in thermal stations' electricity generation. The proportion of nuclear-produced electricity averaged 38 percent.
1/95: NUCLEAR LEGISLATION DISORGANIZED
Nikolai Steinberg stated that Ukraine's nuclear power complex is functioning basically without a nuclear safety infrastructure as a result of funding crises, political crises, and indecision as to whether or not certain reactors will be shut down and started up. One problem is that there is no nuclear energy law; instead, there are 15 different laws that deal with the nuclear industry indirectly. The nuclear law that has been drafted has yet to be ratified by the Rada due to political wrangling.
1/95: THREE NEW VVER-1000S WILL BE CONSTRUCTED
A German-Belgium consortium led by Lahmeyer International has finalized plans to complete the construction of three new VVER-1000s at Khmelnytskyy -2, Rivne-4, and Zaporizhzhya-6. The project is being funded by the EU's TACIS program. It is estimated that the start-up of all three units will cost $950 million.
1994: 125 REGIME VIOLATIONS IN TEN MONTHS - 4 EVENTS OFF SCALE, 112 LEVEL-0 EVENTS, 26 LEVEL-1 EVENTS, 2 LEVEL-2 EVENTS
At the five Ukrainian NPPs, there were 125 regime violations in ten months of 1994. The highest number of violations was at the Zaporizhzhya plant (57). The lowest number was at Chornobyl ("only 13"). NUCLEAR EUROPE WORLDSCAN reported that in 1994 there were 144 events reported to the IAEA. According to the INES scale, 4 events were out of scale, 112 events were level 0, 26 were level 1, and 2 events were level 2. In addition, the reported total production in 1994 was 68.8 billion kWh, the nuclear share of electricity output was 34.2%, the average load factor was 61.4%, and the total capacity of the 14 units in operation was 12,818 Mwe.
1994: NO PROGRESS IN COOPERATION WITH WEST
Nuclear power plants provided 34.2% of Ukraine's electricity in 1994. In 1994, Ukraine under-produced 17.5 billion kWh, while corresponding figure for 1993 was 9 billion kWh. There were 133 malfunctions on the Ukrainian NPPs, down 20% from 1993 (167 malfunctions.) Malfunctions included 30 shutdowns, 28 malfunctions that lead to the reduction of reactor capacity, and 75 malfunctions that did not. On average, there were 9.7 malfunctions per reactor. Cooperation of Derzhkomatom with the Western partners did not progress in 1994 due to the lack of Ukrainian legislature governing responsibility for nuclear damage resulting from accidents on the nuclear facilities. Therefore, cooperation did not progress with TACIS ($66 million), with Germany on the improvement of the safeguard at the Rivne NPP ($20 million), cooperation under the Lisbon initiative ($30 million), and cooperation with foreign governments and firms to create in Ukraine enterprises producing nuclear fuel ($120 million). Also no progress was made on $20 million project to manufacture advanced instrumentation and control systems for the Ukrainian VVERs at Weston (a joint venture between Westinghouse and Khartron Product Association.)
1994: ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION FALLS
In 1994, 59.8% of electricity generation was from fossil fuel, down from 62.4% in 1993; 34.1% was from nuclear power, up from 32.7%; and 6.1% was from hydro power and other sources, up from 4.9%. Total electricity production fell from 229.9 TWh to 193.5 Twh.
1994: WORLD'S NINTH TOP PRODUCER OF NUCLEAR ELECTRICITY
In 1994, Ukraine was the world's 9th top producer of nuclear electricity, producing 68.85 billion kilowatt hours.
1994: UKRAINE'S ELECTRICITY DURING THE WINTER
Nuclear power plants provided 43.7% of Ukraine's electricity during the winter months of 1994.
12/22/94: ENERGY DEPARTMENT EXPANDS; LEVEL OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION FALLS
According to Volodymyr Usatenko, consultant to the Rada Commission on the Problems of the Chornobyl Disaster, the power industry was being split in December into two parts. If the split occurred, nuclear power would come under the jurisdiction of Defense Minister Valeriy Shmarov and fossil fuel would come under the jurisdiction of Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Dyuba. Ukraine's energy consumption level has fallen in recent years and this consultant predicted that Ukraine's 1990 energy consumption level would only be attained again in 2110. Usatenko went on to say, "The unbridled expansion of the nuclear energy department is...leading the country into an economic and ecological catastrophe."
12/94: UKRAINE'S ENERGY SITUATION IS DIRE
According to Deputy Premier Anatoly Dyuba, Ukraine's energy situation for the winter is very dire. From 1-8/94, 147 TWh were produced, which just barely met demand. A decrease of 9 TWh was reportedly the result of an increase in the pricing policy, a loss in skilled workers, repeated delays in safety improvements, and inadequate fuel supplies. In south-eastern Ukraine, daily electricity shut-downs have become routine as a result of fuel shortages.
11/24/94: UKRAINE RECEIVES RUSSIAN FUEL BUT OFTEN TOO LATE
For more information on this issue, see the entry under Fuel Cycle Developments.
11/24/94: ONE-THIRD OF UKRAINE'S THERMAL GENERATING PLANTS ARE NOT OPERATING
According to Heorhiy Kopchinsky, head of Ukraine's Nukom, the importance of nuclear power generation increased during the last year. Nuclear plants in Ukraine account for 24 percent of the installed generating capacity, yet in 1994 they produced 33 percent of Ukraine's electricity. However, since the plants are not receiving the revenue due them, they are having difficulty procuring spare parts and fuel and all safety improvement plans have been temporarily halted. According to Kopchinsky, one-third of Ukraine's thermal generating plants are not operating due to a lack of fossil fuel. Ukraine produces only 44 percent of its fuel supply and currently owes more than $2.5 billion for oil and natural gas imports. Kopchinsky commented that even at the highest levels of government there is a lack of a safety culture.
11/21/94: CANADA PROMISES $200 MILLION FOR UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR REACTOR UPGRADES
Canada has promised to provide an additional $200 million for safety upgrades to Ukrainian nuclear reactors. It will also provide Ukraine with $100 million so it can repay its energy debts.
11/17/94: RUSSIA PROVIDED MORE FUEL ASSEMBLIES THAN PLANNED
For more information on this issue, see the entry under Fuel Cycle Developments.
11/11-17/94: NUCLEAR POWER PRODUCTION IS GROWING
Electricity consumption fell from 268.3 GWh in 1991 to 226.2 GWH in 1993, which, according to Nikolai Steinberg of the SCNRS, reflects a decrease in electricity demand. The nuclear component of Ukraine's power production is constantly growing. Ukraine is ranked number eight in the world in terms of operational reactors and NPP output of electric power. It is ranked number seven in terms of total NPP capacity and is number twelve or thirteen in terms of percentage of electric power generated at its NPPs.
10/6/94: DERZHKOMATOM CANNOT FUND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
Nuclear power plants generated 39 billion kilowatt hours in the first six months of 1994, accounting for more than 38 percent of the electricity generation in Ukraine. But, Derzhkomatom can not supply the 1.6 trillion karbovantsi needed to maintain all the plants; all safety work has been halted. According to Nur Nihmatullin, more than $100 million has been lost as a result of unreliable VVER-1000 fuel rods that have gotten stuck halfway into the reactor core, making it necessary to reduce the output of the reactor by 50 percent. Fuel rod fabrication may have to be altered for the VVER-1000s and the core may be redesigned.
10/6/94: INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC-TECHNICAL CENTER AT CHORNOBYL
The Kurchatov Institute and the Ukrainian National Academy of Science have proposed the creation of an International Scientific-Technical Center at Chornobyl. The goal of this joint project is to involve scientific expertise from Russia, Ukraine, and other nations to resolve many of the safety problems present at the Chornobyl site, including improving the sarcophagus, closing down the three power units currently operating, managing the radioactive wastes, and cleaning up of the land near Chornobyl. Derzhkomatom, MinChornobyl (the agency responsible for the rehabilitation of the Chornobyl area), Russia's Minatom, as well as scientific institutes in Belarus have given their support to the concept. This idea was initially proposed in 1986 but was rejected by the Soviet government; the issue was raised a second time in 1989-90, but the discussion was interrupted by the collapse of the Soviet Union.
8/17/94: GERMANY WILL PROVIDE REMOTE MONITORING SYSTEM
According to the director of the Institute of Safety Research near Dresden, Germany, a remote monitoring system will be put into operation at Ukraine's nuclear power plants by 1995. The German institute developed the system which can help simulate defects in nuclear plants. The systems are currently being used in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Bulgaria. Russia has expressed an interest in the system as well.
8/9/94: NUCLEAR PLANTS ARE NOT READY FOR WINTER
A familiarization tour of nuclear power plants by a government delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister Valeriy Shmarov was conducted in early August to check on the readiness of the plants for the winter, as well as the current state of uncompleted reactors at Zaporizhzhya, Khmelnytskyy , and Rivne. It was determined that the plants are not sufficiently ready for winter, and that due to errors of the workers at the stations undergoing renovations, there will be further delays in opening them. The main cause for the problems among nuclear plant workers has been cited as lack of pay.
7/20/94: SPENT FUEL IS NOT TRANSPORTED FROM POWER PLANTS
Directors of Ukraine's nuclear power plants gave a statement to the President, the Cabinet of Ministers, and Parliament regarding the need for assistance for their ailing industry. The industry currently faces payment delays, problems obtaining spare parts and deliveries of materials, and a mass exodus of experienced personnel to other fields. Also cited was the fact that due to a lack of funds, spent fuel cannot be transported from the power plants.
7/94: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HELPS UKRAINE AND RECOMMENDS CLOSING CHORNOBYL
At the 7/8-10 Summit in Naples, the G-7 states offered to provide $200 million in assistance to Ukraine in an effort to reform its nuclear industry. The EC has already provided 100 million ECU and Euratom has pledged to lend 400 million ECU for this purpose. Recommendations to close Chornobyl by 1996 were made, and estimates were given that newer and safer plants (Zaporizhzhya, Rivne, and Khmelnytskyy ) could make up for the loss in energy production.
7/94: UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR SOCIETY IS CONCERN ABOUT SAFETY IN NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY
The Ukrainian Nuclear Society (UNS) issued a letter to the President, the Speaker of the Parliament, and the Prime Minister expressing concern about safety in the nuclear power industry. The UNS, however, attested to the need to keep the plants open, citing that more than forty percent of all energy produced in Ukraine during the first half of 1994 was produced by nuclear power plants, and that nuclear energy was the least expensive type of electric energy. UNS members also said that the Chornobyl plant should not be closed in the near future, but stressed the need for urgent measures to be taken to improve the safety situation.
7/94: 33 PERCENT OF UKRAINE'S ENERGY COMES FROM NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
According to an IAEA estimate, nearly 33 percent of Ukraine's energy in 1993 came from nuclear power plants, as compared with 25 percent in 1992. Total nuclear power generation for 1993 was 75.2 terawatt hours (TWH). The 1993 figures placed Ukraine 13th on the list of nuclear power contributions cited for 30 nations.
6/10/94: WILL RBMK REACTORS BE SHUT DOWN?
The International RBMK Project presented the findings of its one-year investigation into the safety of RBMK reactors. The Project enumerated more than 300 recommendations for improving RBMK reactors and stated that they are "not as bad as they might be, but they could be better." First-generation reactors and the Chornobyl NPP were not included in the study; when the study began, Chornobyl was set to be decommissioned. Russian and Ukrainian officials have hailed the investigation as proof that RBMK reactors need not be shut down. The international investigation found that RBMK reactors cannot be grouped into one category but must be considered individually because each reactor is different.[1] One of the main arguments of Ukrainian authorities has been that due to the lack of major differences between Chornobyl and Russian RBMKs there is no reason to demand that Chornobyl be shut down while Russia keeps its RBMKs running.[2]
6/94: KURCHATOV INSTITUTE REPORT
According to a Kurchatov Institute report, in 1992 Ukraine operated 14 nuclear power units that generated 12,818 MW(E); this was 29.4 percent of Ukraine's total electricity output. Nuclear-generated electricity is important to Ukraine due to its economic crisis and as a result, Ukraine seeks to complete a number of units under construction, including the 6th unit at Zaporizhzhya (95 percent completed), the 2nd unit at Khmelnytskyy (85 percent completed), and the 4th unit at Rivne (80 percent). Ukraine is striving to domestically produce 100 percent of its nuclear reactor fuel by 2003.
4/94: EU COMMISSION SUGGESTS CREATING PERSONNEL TRAINING CENTER
After a fact-finding mission to Chornobyl, Zaporizhzhya, and Rivne, and talks with representatives from the South Ukraine and Khmelnytskyy power plants, members of an EU Commission concluded that a national training center complete with special literature and equipment should be set up to train personnel in the nuclear power field. They recommend that the G-7 countries provide technical assistance for this project.
3/8/94: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT BEGINS WITH SEMINAR IN KIEV
A three year international project, aimed at providing technical assistance in the nuclear safety field in Ukraine, has been fully launched. The project is within the Technical Assistance to the CIS (TACIS) program of the Commission of the European Communities, and is beginning with a seminar in Kiev on licensing nuclear installations. Participants in the seminar include French and German safety experts and their Ukrainian counterparts.
2/2/94: SHORTAGES OF NUCLEAR FUEL COULD CLOSE DOWN SEVERAL NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
For more information on this issue, see the entry under Fuel Cycle Developments.
2/2/94: DOE AUTHORIZATION WILL PROVIDE MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
S3 Technologies received US DOE authorization to provide materials and equipment for Unit 1 at Zaporizhzhya, Units 1-3 at Rivne, and Unit 3 at the South Ukraine plant. Approved items include materials for full-scope control room operator training simulators at the three power plants.
2/94: SWEDEN HELPS UKRAINIAN SAFEGUARDS PROGRAM
It was reported that the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate (SKI) is helping Ukrainian authorities to set up a safeguards program.
["Sweden Says Launching Safeguards in Ex-USSR Is Slow Process," NUCLEAR FUEL, 2/14/94, p. 16.]
An agreement for bilateral cooperation was signed in 9/93 and includes technical and administrative assistance for establishing a safeguards system based on Swedish and international experience.
1/25/94: CONCEPT OF SECURITY STATE REGULATION
The Supreme Rada adopted a "Concept of the state regulation of security and management of nuclear industry in Ukraine."
1/18/94: SAFETY VIOLATIONS AT UKRAINIAN POWER STATIONS INCREASE
Nikolai Steinberg, head of the UkrSCNRS, announced that safety violations at Ukraine's five nuclear power stations increased by 23 percent in 1993. He gave no figures, but official statistics for 1992 listed over 100 safety violations. The problems is caused in part by Ukraine's serious financial situation and "old habits of waiting for someone else to resolve all our problems," Steinberg said.
WINTER 1994: NUCLEAR POWER WARMS IN WINTER
During the winter of 1993-94, nuclear power provided more than 40% of Ukraine's electricity.
1993: UKRAINE IS THE 13TH ON NUCLEAR POWER LIST
Total electricity generation also fell during the period from 1990-93 from 298.5 billion kWh to 230 billion kWh. Nuclear power generation for 1993 made up nearly 33% of Ukraine's total energy in 1993 (75.2 terawatt hours), compared with 25% in 1992. The 1993 figures placed Ukraine 13th on the list of nuclear power contributions cited for 30 nations. Ukraine's electricity exports also reportedly fell from 1991-93 due to a decrease in demand. As a result nuclear electricity in Ukraine has gained in relative importance.
6/1/93: HIGH RUSSIAN FUEL PRICES WILL LEAD TO EXPANSION OF UKRAINIAN NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
The Ukrainian nuclear power industry is finding it difficult to afford fuel. In a speech to the Supreme Rada, Prime Minister Leonid Kuchma lamented the "near world-market prices" Russia is now charging for its nuclear fuel. This action provides impetus for both energy independence and the drive to expand the nuclear industry, since natural uranium is abundant in Ukraine and could be exploited if the industry expanded with CANDU reactors.
6/93: UKRAINIAN-GERMAN NUCLEAR SAFETY ACCORD
Ukraine and Germany signed a nuclear safety accord that includes exchanges of legislation on installation safety, personnel and environment safety, and licensing. It also covers exchanges of information regarding the building, running, and closing of plants. Germany also offered assistance in assessing the damage caused by Chornobyl. The Ukrainian State Committee on Nuclear and Radiation Safety and Germany's Federal Ministry for the Environment and Radiation Safety are also obliged to notify the other in the case of a nuclear accident. The final aspect of this accord reinforces an IAEA convention ratified by Ukraine.
4/93: SUPREME RADA CONSIDERING LIFTING MORATORIUM ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW NUCLEAR PLANTS UNITS
The Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissions on Primary Industries, on the Chornobyl Cleanup as well as the Ukrainian Government will propose that the Supreme Rada lift the moratorium on the construction of three new units at the Zaporizhzhya, Rivne, and Khmelnytskyy nuclear power plants.
1/14/93: RUSSIA AND UKRAINE AGREE TO COOPERATION
Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement on scientific, technical, and economic cooperation in the nuclear power industry.
7/92: RIVNE AND KHMELNYTSKYY MAY BE SHUT DOWN
It was reported that the Ukrainian Rivne-3 and Khmelnytskyy -1 VVER-1000 reactors may be forced to shut down if Russia continues to refuse to accept their spent fuel at Krasnoyarsk, in Russia.
7/92: UKRAINE MAY TURN TO CANDU-TYPE REACTORS
It was reported that Ukraine may turn to CANDU-type, heavy water reactors to decrease reliance on Russia for enriched uranium and fuel fabrication.
8/2/90: SUPREME RADA MORATORIUM
The Supreme Rada passed a resolution to impose a moratorium on construction of all new nuclear power plants in Ukraine.
Last updated 11 June 2004
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Updated June 2005 |
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