#Chernobyl: Ahead of 30th anniversary of Chernobyl nuclear disaster EU steps up contribution to nuclear safety

This fund supports in particular the safe decommissioning of units one to three of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which suffered a catastrophic meltdown on 26 April 1986.

International Cooperation and Development Commissioner Neven Mimica said:" The European Union has been at the forefront of the international efforts to deal with the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, to decommission the nuclear power plant and to make the site environmentally safe. Today's pledge will further contribute to ensuring that the projects are brought to a successful conclusion."

The Nuclear Safety Account, managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), funds the construction of a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel from the operation of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

The Fund was set up in 1993 to finance nuclear safety projects in Central and Eastern Europe. Today it provides funds for the decommissioning of the three remaining Chernobyl units, the last of which was shut down in 2000. 29 countries and the European Commission contribute to the Nuclear Safety Account.

The main project currently supported by the fund is the Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility (ISF2). Its completion is foreseen for 2017. The Facility will provide for the processing and storage of the spent nuclear fuel from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant units one, two and three, which is required for the decommissioning of the plant.

The EU's contribution will be announced at the Nuclear Safety Account Pledging Conference taking place today in Kiev, Ukraine, just one day ahead of the 30^th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear accident. This contribution is in addition to those already provided to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund for the construction of the New Safe Confinement (the Shelter) and to other related projects to isolate and ultimately dismantle the unit which suffered the accident in 1986 The Shelter, to be completed in 2017, will prevent radioactive releases and contribute to make the site environmentally safe and stable, which is also important to the countries directly bordering Ukraine. The EU is the main donor to this project with around €430m.

Making Chernobyl safe again

After the Chernobyl accident of 1986 and political changes in the early nineties, the European Commission initiated a vast nuclear safety programme and co-operated with international partners to improve the safety of the Nuclear Power Plants in the New Independent States. In the context of this programme the European Commission funded a number of assistance projects in Chernobyl, worth some €550m.

In addition to contributions to international funds (the Chernobyl Shelter Fund and the Nuclear Safety Account) the Commission funded other projects to study, assess and mitigate the consequences of Chernobyl accident and for the processing and storage of radioactive waste at the site.

Other projects addressed the social and regional consequences of the Chernobyl accident and provided for power replacement following the closure of the plant, as well as reform of the energy sector in Ukraine.

In total, the European Commission has committed around €730m so far to Chernobyl projects, as follows:

• Assistance projects: €550m – out of which €470m were channelled through international funds, and €80m implemented directly by the European Commission;
• Power generation support: €65m;
• Social Projects: €15m;
• Research projects: €100m.

More information

Nuclear Safety Cooperation in third countries

Overview of the European Union actions and projects on Chernobyl zone