The groups blamed what they called the incompetent and irresponsible management of the nation’s nuclear power industry, led by Andrey Derkach, chief executive of Ukrainian firm Energoatom, for these threats. The parties took their complaint to European Commission (EC) offices in Brussels in order to draw attention to the dangers.
The Green Association of Ukraine said that, despite the fact the Energoatom’s management has proved incapable of guaranteeing the safety of current operating nuclear power plants (NPPs), there are plans to construct 11 new nuclear reactors in Ukraine.
The construction of two nuclear reactors at Khmelnitsky NPP and one reactor at the South Ukrainian NPP have already caused mass protests, the group said.
As a result, Green Association of Ukraine representatives in Brussels are planning to appeal to the EU not to provide funds for the construction of new Chernobyls, but to direct Ukraine towards improved production and conservation.
The environmental group went on to claim that Mr Derkach is also attempting to increase the Ukrainian nuclear sector’s reliance on Russia. The group cited an agreement signed between Mr Derkach and Russia’s atomic energy agency Rosatom on June 4, 2007 as evidence of this claim.
The agreement provides for full participation by Russia in the construction of Ukraine nuclear power units, growing dependence on Russian nuclear fuel, and retention of the Ukrainian industry’s orientation towards Russian technologies.
The Green Association of Ukraine said that this not only threatens the geopolitical interests of both Europe and Ukraine, but also contradicts the Euro-integration policy of Ukraine. As a result, the group submitted a petition signed by almost 3,000 citizens to the EC on July, 2 2007.
