Holtec International
Press Release
December 26, 2005
Kyiv, Ukraine
Holtec International is pleased to announce the signing of the contract with The State Enterprise National Nuclear Energy Generating Company “ENERGOATOM” to establish a state-of-the-art central storage facility for the spent nuclear fuel produced by the country’s VVER reactors ("Vodo-Vodyannoy Energeticheskiy Reactor" or Pressurized Water Reactor). The central storage facility is intended to eliminate the need for Ukraine to ship the fuel discharged from its VVER reactors at South Ukraine, Rovno, and Khmelnytsky sites over long distances for storage on Russian territory at a cost of over $100 million per year. The contract value is approximately $150 Million and 90% will be financed by Holtec International. This contract represents the largest investment in Ukraine’s nuclear sector by a U.S. company.
The project will involve design, licensing, construction, commissioning of the facility, and the supply of the requisite number of spent nuclear fuel transport and storage systems. The project will bring 21st Century nuclear technology to Ukraine that will ensure the safe domestic storage of its nuclear fuel in impregnable containers. The project will also provide long-term employment for scores of Ukrainian professionals as well as the country’s craftsmen in the manufacturing sector.
The central storage facility will utilize the same storage overpacks that are being used in the United States and have been certified by the Atomic Safety Licensing Board of the U.S. government to be capable of preventing any release of radiation if subjected to a most severe situation such as a crashing aircraft. The same overpacks are also being used to decommission the Jose Cabrera nuclear plant (Zorita) in Spain.
"Achieving self-sufficiency in managing its spent nuclear fuel is only fitting and proper for a country that boasts Europe’s third largest commercial nuclear power program and relies on its nuclear plants for roughly half of its energy needs," said Holtec’s President and CEO, Dr. Kris Singh, who signed the contract for Holtec International.
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| A Typical Used Fuel Storage Facility Erected by Holtec in the U.S.A. |
"The Conceptual Programme for development of NAEK 'ENERGOATOM' before 2010 along with other major tasks for modernization of nuclear reactors, extension of operational lifetime of existing NPP units, development of power generation capacities also includes a task for efficient management of spent fuel and taking a decision at the official level regarding construction and commissioning of Spent Fuel Storage Facility.
The entire Company’s internal and external policy is currently aimed at achieving of these objectives. By doing this, we have to solve not only technical and economic, but first of all safety issues, including environmental safety. This is where safe storage of spent nuclear fuel will help a lot", - President Yuriy Nedashkovsky said.
Established in 1996 by Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers, The State Enterprise National Nuclear Energy Generating Company "ENERGOATOM" is responsible for operating 15 nuclear power plants at four sites in Ukraine. In addition, Enerogatom is engaged in the construction of new power plants, the purchase of fresh (new) nuclear fuel, the removal of radioactive wastes, establishing the national infrastructure of spent fuel and radioactive waste management, the physical protection of facilities, and continued operational safety improvements in the nuclear sector.
Holtec International, a diversified energy technology company headquartered in the United States, is a world technology leader in the storage and transport of used nuclear fuel. Spent fuel storage equipment designed and installed by Holtec are in use in over 80 nuclear plants in the U.S., Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, Spain, and the U.K. Thirty-four plants in the U.S. have established long-term contracts with Holtec to store used fuel in Holtec’s dry storage systems. Spain’s Zorita plant is also a user of Holtec’s dry storage technology. Holtec is currently working in Ukraine with the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant organization to provide processing technology to place used fuel from Chernobyl’s three idled reactors in storage systems under the aegis of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.