National nuclear energy generating company “Energoatom” and American company Holtec International have signed a contract on building of centralized depository of nuclear waste for three Ukrainian nuclear electric power stations (Rovenska, Khmelnitska, Yuzhnoukrainska).
The contract provides to place information for further development of technical and economic assessment at the disposal of Energoatom.
Expenses for building of centralized depository are planed to make about 400 million euros, value of launching complex – 150 million euros. Expected economic effect (savings on nuclear waste removal to Russia) will make about 1.5 milliard euros.
Wachovia and Royal Bank of Scotland will give credits for the building. Ukreksimbank and Alfa-bank will take part in the project from the Ukrainian side. According to Yuri Nedashkovsky, President of Energoatom, development of the technical and economic assessment, ratification of the project by Cabinet of Ministers and the Verkhovna Rada will take about one year, the depository-building itself will take three years.
Energoatom intends to return credits during four years after the building completion.
Launching complex of the depository will include 94 containers, permissive to keep about 20% out of general volume of nuclear waste of Rovenska, Khmelnitska and Yuzhnoukrainska nuclear electric power stations (taking into account waste fuel assembly, which is kept in cooling ponds).
The rest of centralized nuclear waste depository is planned to be build without foreign investors practice. According to Nedashkovsky, Holtec intends to deliver all technologies and licenses after the completion of the depository building. Chornobyl zone rates as an area for the depository’s location.
