Nuclear power in Central and Eastern Europe at the turn of Millennium

In Central and Eastern European countries the use of nuclear energy for electricity generation begun in late 1950's and reached a stage of industrial maturity since 1970. In mid - 1998 there were 65 nuclear units connected to the grid, with the total installed capacity of 44.3 GWe and a nuclear electricity generation exceeding 249 TWh, supplying almost 22% of the total electricity produced in this region. Other 14 nuclear units with a total generating capacity of over 11.5 GWe were under construction in five countries: 4 in Ukraine and Russia, 3 in Slovakia, 2 in the Czech Republic and 1 in Romania. Although nuclear power has become an important energy source in many Central and Eastern European countries, especially in those countries with poor fossil energy resources (Lithuania - 82%, Bulgaria - 45.4%, Slovakia - 44%, Hungary - 40.8%), it still relies heavily on ex-Soviet and Russian - design technology (WWER and RBMK - type reactors). This implies large-scale implementation of upgrading and modernization programs for safe and reliable operation, in order to achieve levels of safety comparable with Western European standards, along with the eventual decommissioning of first generation nuclear units having serious functioning failures (e.g. Chernobyl 1, Ignalina 1 and 2, Kozloduy 1 and 2). In some countries, following the implementation of short and long term investment schemes for further improvement of the reliability and safety of operating NPP's performances, the capacity factor has reached the highest figures: Krsko NPP (Slovenia) - 88.3%, Paks NPP (Hungary) - 86.6% and Dukovany NPP (Czech Rep.) - 81%. In Romania the first CANDU - 6 unit in Europe, operable at Cernavoda since December 1996, had very satisfactory results, generating 9.7% of the country's electricity production, with a good overall load factor - 87.27%. The Chernobyl nuclear accident had immediate consequences upon the operation of NPPs and a number of restrictions were imposed. But, actually other factors are at work in recent development trends of nuclear power in this region: - the declining rate growth in overall energy demand; - improvements in plant safety and the need to implement waste management and disposal programs have raised the investment cost of NPPs; - the high amount of arrears due to power utilities which are operating nuclear power plants, that affected further investments on nuclear research and development; - institutional and financial constraints generated by the economic transition have prevented or even halted the implementation of previously plant nuclear programmes. Therefore it is foreseeable that, although some of units under construction will be completed, the economic transition and the lack of financing founds will significantly delay the development of nuclear programmes in most Central and Eastern European countries. (author)