Energoatom is to boost nuclear safety at Ukraine's NPPs / Photo from UNIAN
State-run enterprise National Nuclear Energy Generating Company Energoatom intends to reschedule the implementation of the Complex (Consolidated) Safety Upgrade Program of Ukrainian Power Units of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) from 2017 to the end of 2020.
The implementation of upgrade measures is planned to be performed with the use of EUR 600 million in loan funds from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), but has to be put off due to delayed entry into force of the loan agreements.
"The project began in 2011 <...> We originally planned to finish its implementation in 2017, but unfortunately, due to the fact that the European loan agreement came into force this year due to change of government and bureaucratic red tape, we are now seeking to change the timing of this program and we hope that it will be implemented by the end of 2020," Energoatom's Deputy Director for Long-Term Development and Investments Hryhoriy Plachkov said at a meeting of the Friendly Nuclear UA Club, which was organized by the company.
According to Plachkov, this year Energoatom has finalized a procedure for attracting EUR 300 million in loan funds from the EBRD and EUR 300 million from Euratom. At the same time, he stressed that the total amount of the attracted loans is the largest in the history of the Ukrainian energy sector.
Plachkov said that the implementation of the program aims at bringing the level of safety of nuclear power units at the Ukrainian NPPs in line with the world standards, fulfilling Ukraine's commitments before international organizations, implementing "post-Fukushima" measures as well as replacing obsolete and worn-out equipment.
At the same time, Plachkov noted that Energoatom is constantly working on projects to improve safety of the Ukrainian NPPs.
As UNIAN reported earlier, on May 28, 2015, Energoatom received a notification from Euratom on the entry into force of the EUR 300-million loan agreement signed in August 2013 and ratified by the Parliament in May 2014. The funds are to be spent on boosting safety of the Ukrainian nuclear power generation facilities.
The loan agreement with the second partner and lender under the mentioned program – the EBRD – entered into force on December 19, 2014.
Energoatom is the largest electricity producer in Ukraine accounting for about 50% of the total electricity output. The company is the operator of all running nuclear power plants of Ukraine. Its main task is to increase electricity production and the NPPs' capacity factor while ensuring continued improvement of the operational safety.