Environmental NGOs are indignant at the statement of PM Yekhanurov on lack of alternatives to development of nuclear power in Ukraine
Press Release
February 10, 2006
On February 8, 2006, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine conducted public hearings on energy efficiency in Ukraine. While the procedure of preparing and holding of the event itself deserves critique, it is another issue that makes us feel indignation. In the course of the public hearings, Mr. Yury Yekhanurov, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, declared that Ukraine has no other choice except development of nuclear power. In this context, he also expressed his regret for the fact that Ukrainians still do not understand what democracy means — in his version, democracy does not mean that all say different things all the time, it means that a minority should obey majority's decisions.
ENVIRONMENTAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS OF UKRAINE STRONGLY INSIST THAT IT IS A MINORITY GROUP OF UKRAINIAN BUREAUCRATS, HEADED BY A POWERFUL NUCLEAR LOBBY THAT MAKES THE NUCLEAR CHOICE ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLES OF UKRAINE!
Ganna Golubovska-Onisimova, the President of All-Ukraine Environmental NGO "MAMA-86" resents the PM statement: "The draft Strategy of Development of Fuel and Energy Complex of Ukraine for 2030, has not undergone a broad public review, while the Government believes that the deal is already decided upon! Decisions on construction of new nuclear reactors in the country of Chernobyl should be made only after their broad and substantive public review, instead of review in a narrow circle of specialists, who call themselves "the public"!
Sergiy Taraschuk, the Chairman of the National Environmental Centre of Ukraine notes: "The Governmental Program for Energy Conservation presumes drafting a new strategy that will be forgotten, similarly to dozens of previous documents. Efficient energy generation and use should be the core issues of the Strategy of Development of Fuel and Energy Complex that is being drafted now. Transition to electric heating and reduction of energy prices for energy-intensive facilities — as proposed by the Government — are absolutely inconsistent with energy conservation goals. These measures could only increase energy losses. One can hardly understand logic of Governmental officials, who propose such measures and call them energy conservation."
Andriy Konechenkov, the vice-President of the Agency for Renewable Energy, noted: "Developing nuclear power, we continue to finance Russian economy, buying Russian nuclear fuel and equipment and increasing our dependence from Russia. Is the "uranium" needle any better than the "gas" one? Besides that, nuclear power units cannot respond to energy demand flexibly. Reduction of a reactor power output by a pair per cent might result is a disaster”.
Yevgen Kolishevskiy, the Executive Director of "The Voice of Nature" Dniprodzerzhinsk Environmental NGO argued: "New nuclear reactor units, proposed by the Government for electricity export would mean new hundred thousand tons of nuclear waste that would transform Ukraine to a nuclear waste dump. The Government and "Energoatom" cannot resolve urgent problems of nuclear power industry. In Dniprodzerzhinsk, for many decades, radioactive waste materials of Pridneprovskiy Chemical Plant were accumulated — the waste site is located at the distance of a few meters from the Dnieper. The waste site is seriously deteriorated and may cause a disaster at any time. Such a disaster might affect the region, the whole country and other countries as well”.
Andriy Martynyuk, the Board Chairman of "Ecoclub" Rivne City Youth NGO argued: "The Prime Minister seems to be poorly informed and had no time to listen to reports of Ukrainian experts at the hearings. Investments to energy efficient and energy-saving technologies generate much higher economic and environmental benefits in a shorter time. Energy generation at NPPs resembles extraction of gold from sea water. It is possible, but costs are much higher than final profits".
Tetyana Tymochko, the deputy Chairperson of the All-Ukraine Environmental League, stated: "Recently, in Ukraine, the issue of storage of nuclear waste was actively discussed in connection with the President's statement in the course of his visit to the Chernobyl exclusion zone. There is no realistic and environmentally safe solution for the problem of already accumulated nuclear waste. Before proposing construction of new nuclear reactor units, the Government should propose a program for secure management of already accumulated nuclear waste and irradiated fuel for the nearest 30 years".
According to the International Energy Agency, now, more than $30 billion is invested annually into renewable energy, or ? of all investments into the power industry sector. At the same time, the nuclear power sector tries to address the problem of management of radioactive waste. So far, there is no long-term solution anywhere in the World. According to IAEA, as at late 2005, the US, Russia and China alone have to invest $1 trillion in order to address the problem of secure management of nuclear waste up to 2040.
We propose:
- To review alternative scenarios of development of the fuel and energy complex of Ukraine up to 2030, that would not stipulate construction of new nuclear power units and export of electricity abroad, that would focus on development of traditional and renewable energy sources and certain use of energy conservation and energy efficiency capacity.
- To conduct economic assessment of alternatives, to make comparative assessment of economic environmental and social appropriateness of these scenarios.
- To propose submission of the comparative assessment results for a broad public discussion, to be held according to democratic procedures and with involvement of a diverse range of scientists and environmental NGOs.
- The above procedures should incorporate broad dissemination of information on initiation, duration and a sequential order of relevant events. The discussion should take a sufficiently long time to ensure participation of all interested public representatives, discussion of all potential options and their detailed media coverage.
- To follow provisions of articles 6 and 7 of the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice on Environmental Matters in the course of preparations to the discussion, as Ukraine is a Party of the Convention.
Contact details:
All-Ukraine Environmental NGO "MAMA-86", phone: (044) 278-77-49, 278-31-01, 8 (067) 465-70-46
The All-Ukraine Environmental League, phone: (044) 522-92-64, 8 (067) 401-57-76
"The Voice of Nature" Dniprodzerzhinsk Environmental NGO, phone: (05692) 67439, 8 (067) 681-13-16
The National Environmental Centre of Ukraine, phone.: (044) 494-03-54, 8 (050) 571-16-84
"Ecoclub" Rivne City Youth NGO, phone: (044) 522-92-64, 8 (097) 235-92-32
The Agency for Renewable Energy, phone: (044) 537-26-56, 8 (067) 209-20-65
