nuclear-news

Slovakia wrestles with nuclear question, and costs of “decommissioning”

amidst the country’s nuclear quandary, one state agency seems poised for growth. Jadrova a vyradovacia spolocnost, a.s., Slovakia’s nuclear decommissioning company, 

Slovakia’s Nuclear Schizophrenia: Shut Down, Continue As Usual, or Boldly Go — Where? Minyanville,  by John C.K. Daly of Oilprice.com.Jan 06, 2012  The answer is anything but clear. “…….the last two decades have devolved into a series of unseemly squabbles between Brussels and new Eastern European members, with the EU demanding the prompt shutdown of Soviet-era nuclear power plants, while governments east of Berlin plead understanding and extended timelines to shut down the facilities that provide major electrical input as they search for alternatives.

The latest post-Cold War post-Soviet space energy front line is Slovakia. What to do in Bratislava on the way to becoming good, clean, green members of the European Union?  “……Slovakia currently has four operational nuclear reactors at complexes in Jaslovske Bohunice and Mochovce, commissioned between 1984 and 1999. The facilities’ threeoldest reactors have been shut down in accordance with EU mandates…..
The Slovak government nevertheless seemingly remains committed to
nuclear power. Two more reactors have been under construction at
Mochovce since 1985 and which should be finished in 2012-2013.

Further complicating the picture beyond the Slovak Republic’s EU
membership, Slovenske Elektrarne, a unit of Italy’s Enel, is the
operator of the two nuclear power plants (NPPs).

But amidst the country’s nuclear quandary, one state agency seems
poised for growth.

Jadrova a vyradovacia spolocnost, a.s., Slovakia’s nuclear
decommissioning company, better known by the acronym JAVYS, intends to
increase its investments this year by $19.5 million, a $4.4 million
increase over 2010 funding levels. JAVYS spokesman Dobroslav Dobak
said,”Of the planned investments in 2012, we will continue with
preparation and implementation of projects related to decommissioning
of (Bohunice) nuclear power plants A1 and V1, and projects aimed at
reconstruction and construction of technologies used for handling
spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste.”

But the downside for Slovak environmentalists is that the global
recession has impacted JAVYS funding as well, as last year JAVYS shed
nearly 12 percent of its workforce, which now numbers 885 people.
Dobak commented, “The decline is mainly related to the change of the
status of V1 NPP which is no longer operating but is being
decommissioned. …. So, where does Slovakia go from here? EU-friendly
green or transitional post-Soviet nuclear?
http://www.minyanville.com/businessmarkets/articles/slovakia-slovakia-energy-policy-nuclear-power/1/6/2012/id/38734#ixzz1io69ZKlV

January 7, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | decommission reactor, EUROPE