Ukraine, U.S. To Build Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility

The joint deal is worth $152 million (RFE/RL) 26 December 2005 -- The state-run company responsible for managing Ukraine's four nuclear power plants says it signed a contract with a U.S. firm today for the development of a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel.

Energoatom said in a statement that the $152 million deal with the U.S. company Holtec International foresees the development of a facility where spent nuclear fuel rods from Ukrainian nuclear power plants will be stored before being sent for reprocessing in Russia.

Energoatom chief Yuriy Nedashkovskiy said that work on the facility should begin next year and take about four years.

The project still needs to be approved by Ukraine's government and parliament.

(AP)