Ukraine awards licence to Chernobyl spent fuel facility, supported by the EU

Ukraine has granted an operating licence to the Interim Spent Fuel Facility 2(ISF-2) at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. On the 35th anniversary of the nuclear accident, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree permitting the operation of the new plant, which has been financed by the international community and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The ISF-2 is a key project in the decommissioning of the Chernobyl site, as it will provide safe and secure storage for the more than 21,000 spent fuel assemblies of Chernobyl reactors 1, 2 and 3, currently stored in an ageing facility. In the coming years, they will be transported to the ISF-2, where they will be processed, packaged in double-walled canisters and stored in concrete modules.

“The safe storage of the spent nuclear fuel is crucial in creating a safe and secure environment”, said Balthasar Lindauer, EBRD Director, Nuclear Safety.

The ISF-2 is the largest dry spent fuel storage facility in the world and has a minimum lifespan of 100 years. The facility cost €400 million and was financed with contributions from the European Union, EU member states, Ukraine and other countries.

The EBRD manages the international donor community’s funds to transform Chernobyl into a safe and secure environment and has also made financial contributions to this effort. Today, on 27 April, the first assembly meeting of its new International Chernobyl Co-Operation Account takes place.

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Press release