Construction of Centralized SFSF is Another Step toward Energy Independence

The Government has approved a project for construction of a centralized spent fuel storage facility for Ukrainian VVER NPPs.

The relevant draft Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on Approval of the Project “Construction of a Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility for Ukrainian VVER NPPs” has been recently approved by the Government.

With the adoption of this draft Cabinet Resolution, Ukraine will make a significant step forward to construct its own nuclear facility for the first time after it has gained independence. The operation of this facility will change the current scheme of spent nuclear fuel management at Ukrainian NPPs and ensure independence from Russian temporary storage services, thereby strengthening Ukraine’s energy security.

The objective of the draft Resolution is to determine the plan for implementation of the centralized SFSF construction project according to which the operating organization (Energoatom Company) will carry out construction and operational activities.

Spent nuclear fuel from Rivne, Khmelnitsky and South Ukraine NPPs will be safely stored for 100 years in the centralized SFSF using advanced technology of surface dry storage with a two-barrier isolation system provided by the specially designed container-type engineering systems (Holtec International, USA).

The activities will be covered by the Energoatom funds, which the Company will have to pay to Russian enterprises for temporary storage and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel from Ukrainian NPPs until the storage facility is commissioned. The State Budget of Ukraine will not be involved.

For reference

The decision to construct the centralized spent fuel storage facility for VVER NPPs (centralized SFSF) was approved by Law of Ukraine “On Management of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Siting, Design and Construction of the Centralized Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility for Ukrainian VVER NPPs” No. 4384 of 9 February 2012.

This draft Resolution has been developed to implement para. 166 of the Priority Action Plan of the Government for 2017 approved by Cabinet Resolution “On Approval of the Medium-Term Priority Action Plan of the Government by 2020 and Priority Action Plan of the Government for 2017 ” No. 275-p of 3 April 2017.

According to Press Service of the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine