Ukraine nuclear power struggles for survival

The breakup of the former Soviet Union left Ukraine's nuclear power industry in the lurch. Rampant inflation and the consequent skyrocketing price of fossil fuels has given Ukrain's nuclear industry a greater share of the energy pie, say Vladimir M. Kramchenkov, deputy head of the technical department at the Zaporozhe nuclear station in Energodar, Ukraine, and Michael K. Launer, professor of Russian at Florida State University in Tallahassee. But with the economy in a downward spiral, conditions in the nuclear industry are getting worse rather than better. open-quotes Manufacturers don't pay transporters; and employers often don't pay workers for several months at a time,close quotes the authors note. The authors conclude that while nuclear power will be vital to Ukrain's industrial strength, open-quotes the economic woes currently plaguing Ukraine-including persistent, rampant inflation-will continue to affect every aspect of Ukrainian society, including the energy sector.close quotes