European Commission Tries To Close Chornobyl

The European Commission will support the completion of reactors in Rivne and Khmelnytsky, for which it is willing to issue 600 million euros, head of the commission’s delegation in Ukraine Andre Vanhaeverbeke told journalists last week.

He said that it is necessary to fulfill three conditions to solve the Chornobyl problem. First, to raise the whole sum required for closing the Chornobyl Power Plant, which is EUR 1.2 billion. The ambassador said this requires participation by the EBRD, export lending agencies, and Russia. Second, the EC is concerned about Ukraine’s electrical engineering sector. Currently many power plants generate electricity, but do not receive money. Simultaneously, nuclear power plants in Ukraine are on the whole safe, but they need to be rehabilitated. It is like a car which needs to be repaired from time to time, said Vanhaeverbeke. Third, there is also a political problem. The issue is that there are many Greens in the governments of the EU nations who, according to the diplomat, are asking why they should finance the Ukrainian nuclear sector, if they are reducing their own.

The head of the EC delegation also mentioned that the EBRD will decide on Ukraine next February. G-7 is also ready to organize negotiations, said Andre Vanhaeverbeke.