Construction of spent fuel nuclear storage facility to be started in Ukraine without permission of Supreme Rada

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Ukrainian Fuel and Energy Minister Yuri Boyko and US Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman discussed the Ukraine-US cooperation in the energy sphere during their meeting in Vienna on September 16, a REGNUM correspondent is told at the Ukrainian Fuel and Energy ministry press office.

The Ukrainian minister is quoted as saying during the meeting that, in terms of energy safety, the project of construction of a central spent fuel nuclear storage facility, a tender for which was won by Holtec Company (USA), is strategically important for Ukraine. He noted that implementation of the project will allow Ukraine save $10bn within ten years. According to him, to speed up the works on the project, a supplementary agreement was signed this year on possibility of carrying out limited amount of works before the Ukrainian parliament passes a bill about construction of the storage facility.

US energy secretary appreciated combined effort of the two countries in giving qualification to nuclear fuel. He also stressed necessity of securing transparent procedures and interaction in implementing a project of joint research and bidding by Naftogaz Ukraine and Маrathon International Petroleum Ltd (USA) for a license for exploring developing in the north-western part of the Dnepropetrovsk-Donetsk Hollow.