President instructs Cabinet to take measures to ensure safety of Ukrainian NPPs

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine must take all measures to ensure safety of Ukrainian NPPs, President Viktor Yanukovych said today at a meeting of the NSDC. Viktor Yanukovych is confident that being a European state, Ukraine must join the process of in-depth reappraisal of NPPs security in Europe, which has been launched by the decision approved at March 24 meeting of EU energy ministers. 

"Ukraine has no real, economically grounded alternatives to nuclear power. The Government of Ukraine must do everything necessary to ensure high operational safety of nuclear power plants and prove it to the Ukrainian people and the international community," he said, presidential press office reported. 

According to Viktor Yanukovych, the Cabinet and the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate must elaborate new approaches to the evaluation of safety of Ukrainian NPPs, also taking into account the decisions of the European Nuclear Safety Regulator Group to be approved at its meeting on May 12, 2011. 

"We must make sure that Ukrainian nuclear power plants are earthquake-resistant enough and are able to withstand the hardest possible earthquakes for the territory of Ukraine. The Government must make immediate steps to improve national system of earthquake safety in Ukraine," he said, adding that appropriate institutional mechanisms to support and develop this system are needed. 

Another urgent task for all public authorities, President Yanukovych said, is preparation and adoption of laws on nuclear and radiation safety for nuclear power industry. 

"I consider necessary the adoption of a new national target program of overcoming the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster based on the new legislation," Viktor Yanukovych said. 

In the same context, the President noted the importance of strengthening organizational and legal status of scientific institutions working on the issues of nuclear safety, and providing them with adequate financing and effective technical support. 

"All the security measures at Ukrainian nuclear power plants must be properly funded, we must make all the necessary investment in accordance with a schedule. Addressing this issue is a matter of honor for the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine," he said.