PRIORITIES FOR UKRAINE'S NUCLEAR INDUSTRY were the focus of a June 12 strategy meeting led by Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. According to a statement released by Ukraine's nuclear operator, Energoatom, Tymoshenko said that immediate priorities include the construction of two new units at the Khmelnitsky nuclear power station and life extension for Rovno-1 and -2 and South Ukraine-1, which are now scheduled to end production between 2011 and 2013. She also identified the treatment of spent fuel and the development of a complete fuel cycle capability as priorities.
According to Tymoshenko, the government will soon identify a number of activities for developing Ukraine's nuclear infrastructure. She said that Ukraine has all the prerequisites for developing a complete nuclear fuel cycle capability and for supplying the country's nuclear fuel cycle needs, but she admitted that this would be an ambitious undertaking.