U.S. Department of Energy to provide additional $1 million to Chornobyl center (01/18/04)

U.S. Department of Energy to provide additional $1 million to Chornobyl center

KYIV - U.S. Ambassador John Herbst announced on December 29, 2003, during a visit to Slavutych, that the U.S. government will provide $1 million in funding over the next two years to the International Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste Management and Radioecology in Slavutych.

The United States and Ukraine jointly established the center in 1996. The main goal of the center is to become a national and international resource for nuclear safety and research. The center conducts its main activities through its two laboratories - the Laboratory of Engineering Research and Technology and the International Radioecology Laboratory.

The center plays an important role in mitigating social and economic impact on the city of Slavutych by directly employing its residents. It employs approximately 65 full-time personnel, and has additionally employed up to 100 Chornobyl nuclear power plant workers as contractors for specific projects.

The U.S. government has previously provided more than $12 million for infrastructure, analytical and research equipment, operations, training, communications, marketing and business development of the center. The additional funding announced on December 29, 2003, will be used for the center to obtain licenses and certificates, to provide management and technical training, develop business and marketing plans, to continue to support operations and maintenance of the International Radioecology Laboratory, and to further promote the center to domestic and international markets.

Fact sheet: U.S. assistance to Slavutych and Chornobyl

The G-7 countries, the European Commission, and Ukraine signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the closure of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant in December 1995, in Ottawa. That memorandum set in motion a sustained program of intensive cooperation between Ukraine and Western governments and international financial institutions.

The G-7 countries and other donors have provided nearly $1 billion in grant funds for Chornobyl site safety projects, for decommissioning facilities and to repair the Chornobyl sarcophagus. In the MOU, the G-7 and European Union also recognized that the closure would adversely affect the surrounding region and agreed to prepare, in cooperation with Ukraine, a Social Impacts Action Plan, which was completed in 1997.

But, while the G-7 and the European Commission can help mitigate the social costs associated with this transition period, ultimately the responsibility lies with Ukraine in taking the next steps to facilitate worker retraining, diversify the regional economy and improve the local tax base in order to maintain an appropriate level of social services. Collectively, the donors have provided approximately $30 million to establish several programs to mitigate the social and economic impact of Chornobyl closure.

As part of the international assistance, the United States has provided more than $220 million for improving nuclear safety, stabilizing and reconstructing shelter, constructing waste management facilities at the Chornobyl industrial site and implementing several programs in the city of Slavutych to mitigate social and economic impact due to the permanent closure of the Chornobyl plant.

Nuclear Safety: Since 1992, the United States has been providing safety improvement assistance to Soviet-designed nuclear power plants in Ukraine. For the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration:

provided a safety parameter display system to improve operations;
supplied a wide variety of equipment for fire, worker and radiological safety;
supported the development of improved maintenance procedures and provided diagnostic equipment; and
completed repairs to the Unit 3 and 4 ventilation stack.

Chornobyl Closure: The United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration assisted in implementation of the following critical activities related to Chornobyl closure:

provided radiation dose reduction equipment and procedures to reduce the radiation exposure of shelter workers;
supported and participated in the studies and the development of specific project plans related to stabilization and long-term reconstruction of the Chornobyl Shelter;
commissioned the Chornobyl replacement plant; and
conducted assessments and developed technical plans for decommissioning Units 1-3.

Socio-economic Impacts: United States projects for mitigating social and economic impact of the Chornobyl closure on city of Slavutych include the following.

International Chornobyl Center: The United States Department of Energy established the International Chornobyl Center for Nuclear Safety, Radioactive Waste Management and Radioecology in 1996. The center conducts its main activities through its two laboratories, and helps the city of Slavutych mitigate the social and economic impacts of Chornobyl closure by employing city residents. The center employs 65 full-time workers.
Off-Site Training and Crisis Center: The United States Department of Energy equipped and established the former Chornobyl Offsite Emergency Response Center as the National Ukrainian Training Center for Ukraine's nuclear emergency preparedness personnel.
Slavutych - Richland Community Partnership: The United States Agency for International Development is supporting a community partnership program between Slavutych and Richland, Washington.
Worker Assistance Initiative: The United States Department of Labor worked closely with the city of Slavutych and the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant to provide employment transition services economic development guidance and funding for economic renewal and business consulting to restructuring enterprises.
Small Business Incubator: The United States Agency for International Development established the Slavutych Business Incubator in January 2001 to foster business skills development through training and information services, and the provision of office space.
Micro-Credit Facility: The United States and its international partners established a Micro Credit Finance Bank for Slavutych in June 2001. The facility has provided loans to assist small-to-medium business enterprises to expand their operations and also has assisted the start up of numerous small businesses.
Humanitarian Assistance: The United States introduced several humanitarian assistance organizations to Slavutych. The Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund provided medical supplies to the Slavutych hospital and other health care organizations. The Medical Service Corporation International conducted thyroid and psychosocial screening of children.
Chornobyl - Hanford Visit: The United States Department of Energy facilitated discussions of the Chornobyl management with the Department of Energy's Hanford Site in the state of Washington to determine similarities between the two sites for work force restructuring and potential economic development for the city of Slavutych.

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