Work on foundation of centralized storage of spent nuclear fuel (HOYaT) for three of four NPPs of Ukraine is ahead of schedule, president of National Atomic Energy Company (NAEC) Energoatom Andrey Derkach.

He said: "Work with Holtec company maintains a schedule and even ahead of schedule. We financed a part of work additionally, but our position about necessity to carry out international expertise of the project is in force", - he said at press-conference in Kiev on July 19.

Energoatom head noted that the first stage of international tender for choosing company, which will carry out expertise, has already completed. Three western companies will take part in the second stage of tender.

"They will carry out expertise of the project on correspondence to the requirements of nuclear, radiation and ecological safety", - Derkach added.

In December 2006, Energoatom concluded contract with Holtec International (USA) for designing and construction of storage for spent nuclear fuel from three Ukrainian NPPs: South-Ukrainian, Rivnenskaya and Khmelnytskaya NPPs ( Zaporozhskaya NPP has own HOYaT).

Construction of this facility allows in future to escape a dependence on storage services suggested by foreign companies and to enhance power security of Ukraine. Besides, construction of the centralized HOYaT allows decreasing expenditures of Energoatom for handling with spent sub-assemblies (SAs) that lead to decreasing cost of electricity produced by NPPs.

Energoprom operates 15 units with VVER-type reactors at 4 NPPs with total power of 13835 MW. The share of NPPs in total volume of power generated in Ukraine is about 50%.

SOURCE: AtomInfo.Ru

DATE: July 26, 2007

Topics: Spent Fuel, East Europe, Ukraine