Environmental Organizations of Ukraine Shocked by Government’s Plans to Build New Reactors
Ukrainian environmental organizations are concerned about the plans of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s government to develop nuclear power in Ukraine. The groups consider the government’s statement of July 20, 2005 advocating construction of two new units at the Khmelnitsky NPP and eleven new units in Ukraine as a very dangerous and ill-advised idea.
Nuclear power’s share of electricity generation increased rapidly in the 1990s. The nuclear industry has openly blackmailed the government by warning of possible accidents, and thus asking for governmental subsidies and a favorable attitude during the harsh decrease in energy demand. As early as 1997, the Administration of Nuclear Regulation warned that because of increased nuclear energy generation and the absence of peak capacities, the situation may become uncontrollable. Since that time, the share of energy produced by nuclear power plants increased from 35% to 50%. Construction of new reactors would intensify this problem.
“Ukraine is seeking energy independence from Russia, but by developing nuclear energy, our nation becomes more dependent on it, because everything connected to nuclear in Ukraine is connected to Russia as well.” said Andrij Martinjyk from Ecoclub in Rivne. “Technology, spare parts, purchase of fresh nuclear fuel and utilization of spent fuel are always connected to Russia. And new nuclear units Khmelnitsky would be Russian as well.”
Electricity amounts for only 15% of general energy use in Ukraine. Adding nuclear capacities wouldn’t solve the problem of the primary energy demand oil and gas. Until very recently, “Energoatom” exported electricity to Russia. Our country needs energy resources for transport, central heating and water supply systems for populations, and industry’s needs in gas and hot water.
“Nuclear energy is too expensive” said Olexy Pasyuk from National Ecological Center of Ukraine. “It made economic sense only when energy was a side product of development of materials for nuclear weapons. The nuclear industry earns money by using the state’s budget to solve all of their problems. For example, the Chernobyl NPP belonged to “Energoatom” only while it earned money for selling electricity. When the time came to pay for its decommissioning it was given for the state’s budget to take care of it.”
“We saw a similar situation before: then it also started with a simple statement, an article in the newspaper about the prospects of nuclear dump construction in salt mines in Artemivsk. It is especially amazing that the new government has never asked the public’s opinion as well! It has not paid attention to the ratified Orhus Convention, it has not paid attention to their promises at Maidan during the Orange Revolution, when they declared they would include in their decisions different thought and interests,.” Said Volodymyr Berezin, head of NGO “Bakhmat” from Artemivsk.
“Before considering construction of new nuclear units the nuclear industry must solve the problems already created by the uranium deposits in Zhovti Vody and the Prydniprovsky chemical plant in Dneprodzerzhynsk, as well as the sizable and dangerous problem of accumulated nuclear waste.. Citizens of these cities live as if on top of a barrel filled with gunpowder. If our country has money to built new nuclear units, why does it not it provide any money to provide safe living conditions to citizens in these cities,” said Evgeny Kolishevsky, head of NGO “Voice of Nature” from Dneprodzerzhynsk. “The government gives the nuclear industry the opportunity to profit, while neglecting the population’s health.”
Ukrainian environmental NGOs believe that the Ukrainian government should not put its money in nuclear technology that does not make any economic sense and carries such a huge risk for the population.