Ukraine's Nuclear Energy Chief Addresses the Atlantic Council

On August 1, 2016, President Yuriy Nedashkovsky of Ukraine's National Nuclear Energy Company, Energoatom, was the featured luncheon guest at the Atlantic Council, a premier think tank in Washington of which Holtec International is a member.

Mr. Nedashkovsky spoke of the critical role played by Ukraine's fifteen nuclear units in safeguarding his nation's energy security. “The carbon-free power generated by the country's nuclear plants rose from its normal share of over a half of the gross national output to 65% during the insurgency in the south-east of the country,” he said. Mr. Nedashkovsky credits the solid record of safety and an active program of public outreach underpinned by total transparency to be the reason behind the generally positive image of nuclear power in Ukraine. Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, Mr. John Herbst, Director of the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center of the Atlantic Council, hosted the luncheon which was attended by a clutch of policy makers and thought leaders from the Capital's institutions.

Holtec International is executing two major projects in Ukraine, both related to spent nuclear fuel. The first, the world's largest spent fuel storage project at Chernobyl, supported by a consortium of donor countries under the aegis of EBRD’s Nuclear Safety Account, is expected to be commissioned in 2018. The second project, championed by Mr. Nedashkovsky and the Prime Minister Groisman government, seeks to make Ukraine independent of any foreign country to meet its nuclear fuel management needs. Holtec has been actively engaged in helping Ukraine's nuclear power industry since 2005.