Volodymyr BRONNYKOV, president, Enerhoatom National Joint-Stock Energy Company:
“There is a government resolution saying in unambiguous terms that the Chornobyl station is to be shut down in 2000. If we had $150 million, it would be technically feasible to reconstruct the station and keep it in service for its entire thirty year cycle, reaping a profit of over $2 billion. But we don’t have this kind of money, and the West is pressing us ahead. So the decision has been made and the question is exhausted. The Chornobyl station manager can only talk about technical feasibility. But, since the decision has been made, he will fulfill it. There is an instruction appointing Mykola Shteinberh in charge of the station shutdown, and the station is being reorganized to prepare it for decommissioning (under contract with Enerhoatom). Of course, no estimate has been made or funds allocated so far, for the resolution was only passed last week. We still have to get a license and proper project report. One must prepare for the shutdown, so we are creating a system to do this.”
