Ukraine Nuclear Safety Upgrade Programme: loan conditions not met

Briefing    |    21 January 2016

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The Ukrainian government continues to disregard the legal conditions attached to the financial support it receives from the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Euratom for its nuclear safety upgrade program.

In December 2015 the Ukrainian nuclear regulator decided in favour of extending the lifetime of yet another nuclear unit, South Ukraine 2. This decision was made by Ukraine’s nuclear regulator, which is lacking independence; it was made in spite of delays in implementing the upgrades of the highest importance for the safety and without adequate public consultations, including transboundary consultations, before the decision. Furthermore, the Ukrainian government has postponed the deadline for the implementation of the entire safety upgrade programme without informing its donors. Such blatant disregard to the set conditions seriously questions the ability of both financial institutions to positively impact developments in Ukraine’s nuclear power sector.