Chernobyl Nuclear Accident Congressional Hearings Transcript

17
7's commitment? Of the assistance that has been pledged, how
much has actually been provided?
Amb. Shcherbak. As you know, Mr. Chairman, Ukraine signed
the Memorandum of Understanding with the Gr-7 countries only
last December, Now, we have no reliable financial mechanism for
shutting down the Chomobyl plant.
Our President Kuchma, at the G-7 Summit in Moscow, raised
the proposal to sign a special agreement between Ukraine and Gr-
7 countries, which will provide special mechanisms for financial,
technical assistance for shutting down the Chomobyl plant.
As you know, there are four problems which are connected to this
shutdown of the Chornobyl plant.
First of all, there is the problem of electricity compensation. We
will lose 7 percent of the electricity—because of the energy crisis
in Ukraine. We are under very severe conditions now. This winter,
Mr. Chairman, was extremely severe, like the winter of 1941. Temperatures
were below zero, minus 20 degrees Celsius. Our energy
system worked on the verge of destruction. It was a very bad experience
this year.
First of all, we need compensation of our capacities for electricity.
Second, problems of the sarcophagus shelter. Construction of a
new sarcophagus is estimated at $2 billion. Now, Ukraine signed
agreements with Russian and French companies—we got first
money from the European Union for the project, for this new shelter.
We hope that it will be very effective aid for our country.
The third problem is radioactive waste. There are 800 "wild"
storages on the territory of the Chornobyl zone. Solid and liquid
waste is radioactive, at high radioactivity. It's very dangerous, not
only for Ukraine and Belarus, but for all of Europe, and also it's
a problem connected with shutting down the Chornobyl plant.
The fourth problem is the social impact of shutting down
Chomobyl, because, as you know, there's a new city called
Slavutich. There are 26,000 citizens in this city, and 6,000 workers
who need new jobs. It's a big problem for the Ukrainian (government.
That is why we raise the problem of reliable and adequate
aid from G-7 countries.
I believe that, after the meeting of our President with the President
of France, Jacques Chirac, we have more of an understanding
between the Gr-7, and we hope that this problem will be solved this
year.
Mr. Smith. Mr. Ambassador, you periodically hear reports of accidents
that happen at Chornobyl, like reactors throughout
Ukraine.
Can you provide the Commission with the number of nuclear facilities
that are in operation in Ukraine, and what is their status
in terms of safety?
Amb. Shcherbak. Well, in Ukraine we have five nuclear plants,
14 nuclear reactors. But only two reactors are the RBMK type, the
type of unit No. 4 which exploded. There are 15 units of the old
type RBMK—the unreliable type, as you know, in the territory of
the former Soviet Union. In Lithuania, at the Ignalina nuclear
plant, there are two units. There are some in Russia, in St. Petersburg,
in Kursk, Smolensk, and other Russian plants.