Ukraine: datafile

The total installed power station capacity in the Ukraine at the end of 1995 was 55.1 GWe, comprising 8.5% hydro stations, 25% nuclear stations, 58.7% fossil stations and 7.6% power plants in industrial facilities. The electricity production share of the nuclear stations was 36.7%. Of the 15 nuclear reactors, 13 are VVERs and 2 are RBMKs. The latter are units 1 and 3 at the Chernobyl station which Ukrainian officials argue must be kept operating as long as possible because of concern over large-scale energy shortages. Due to the severe economic recession, however, demand has in fact been falling and is unlikely to recover for some years. With four VVER V320 reactors under construction, nuclear power should account for up to 40% of electricity production by 2000. Goskomaton, the Ukrainian Nuclear Energy agency which owns and operates the nuclear stations, faces major problems in terms of lack of resources and shortage of skilled manpower. Since December 1994, regulatory responsibilities for the nuclear industry have been incorporated into a newly formed Ministry for Environmental Protection and Radiation Safety which formulates standards, issues licences and supervises power station safety and radiation monitoring. Steps are being taken to provide waste management facilities within Ukraine; prior to independence spent fuel was stored and reprocessed in Russia. Currently, Russia still supplies all fuel assemblies and about two thirds of the uranium requirement. (UK)