On February 2, power unit No. 5 (VVER-1000, a variety of the pressurized water reactor) of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) was disconnected from the mains for steam generator repairs. Also under repairs is power unit No. 3 at the Rivne NPP. Meanwhile, on February 1 an extended session of the National Security and Defense Council attended by the president, discussed nuclear and radiation safety in Ukraine. It was noted that the long standing problems of a financial and organizational nature have brought the nuclear energy sector, which prduces about half the total electricity in this country, to critical condition.
The session heard information about the increased number of nuclear plant malfunctions and the growing losses of electrical power due to the unduly long idle time caused by routine maintenance and emergency repairs. The main cause is the insufficient funding of preventive and current repairs, especially while modernizing and retooling operational power units. The speakers pointed out that the most substantial losses are being inflicted by the too-frequent “emergency situations” on the energy market, which in fact continues of the “hands-on management” of the energy sector, Interfax-Ukraine reports. This resulted in a catastrophic growth of nuclear stations’ debts to the budget and off-budget funds, because taxes are being assessed immediately after the issue of energy rather than after receiving money for the electricity produced. Moreover, the funds earmarked for nuclear safety are often misused. Ukraine has received only about 15% of the almost $80 million spent on the fulfillment of the Shelter Project funded by an international grant, while the results gained do not correspond to expenditures, the session was told. Summing up the discussion, Leonid Kuchma instructed the council to draw up a corresponding decree.
Commenting on the session, a highly-skilled expert in this field told The Day, “If the nuclear energy people fully pay for the electricity produced, they will have no problems with nuclear safety. The trouble is that the electricity rate imposed on the nuclear power plants has never been paid in real money. They had to resort to debt sales, which entails substantial losses, and other forced measures of this kind.” Yet, according to the expert, money is being invested in routine safety. But when it comes to the modernization and retooling of nuclear facilities, funds are scarce. The Day’s source believes that the currently operational nuclear units will wear out and become obsolete in 10 to 15 years. Thus, unless money is invested today, it will be impossible to solve the problem in a day or even ayear. “By squandering nuclear money today, we invite tremendous trouble in the future,” the expert said and added, “This could even mean the simultaneous shutdown of all units.” It would be wrong to say that the government is unaware of this problem. Earlier last week First Vice Premier Yuri Yekhanurov, who claims he is “not much of an energy expert,” said in an informal talk with journalists that, unless nuclear reactors at the Khmelnytsky and Rivne NPPs are finished, by 2020 we are in for a true catastrophe in the nuclear power sector.
INCIDENTALLY
On February 1 the president of Ukraine and Russia’s Nuclear Energy Minister Yevgeny Adamov discussed in Kyiv cooperation in the field of nuclear energy including the supply of nuclear fuel to the Ukrainian NPPs. Mr. Adamov confirmed Russia’s interest in the delivery of fuel for the reactors of the Rivne and Khmelnytsky NPPs, which should be finally built and used as compensatory power units because the Chornobyl NPP has been decommissioned.
