Dr. Zsuzsa SZENTGYÖRGYI, a nuclear power expert, a member of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering: At an international forum ROSATOM’s CEO drew attention to dissonant moves of the new leadership in Kiev. It was made public that due to the political pressure associated with the situation in Ukraine, NPPs of that country have decided to resume the use of nuclear fuel made by the U.S. company Westinghouse. One may ask a question: what’s wrong with the Ukrainians buying nuclear fuel from the Americans? The answer is not simple, since it throws a light on very serious problems.
The Ukrainians have started using the U.S. fuel since 2010. In the years that followed, fuel bundles started deforming due to design deficiencies of fuel rods and assemblies. Then, the Ukrainian regulator prohibited using the U.S. fuel, since it jeopardized safety at the system level. Head of GAN of Ukraine (State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate) Elena Nikolaichuk took a line of principle and was against the use of the American fuel. The new leadership in Kiev removed her from the post, by this opening the way for the use of the American fuel in three reactors in one go. It is a terrible move, because off-standard fuel reduces safety of the core; and it’s especially fearsome that politicians got the nerve up to interfere with the matters related to nuclear safety. The NPP safety cannot be a target of political games. As a nuclear power specialist, I cannot sleep a peaceful sleep, the expert says.
Zsolt Hárfás, a nuclear engineer, an expert of atomenergiainfo.hu website: The American company supplied nuclear fuel for two reactors of South Ukrainian NPP earlier.Unambiguously, Ukraine’s policy is aimed at making Ukrainian NPPs independent of the Russian fuel. At the same time, it is clear that Ukrainian NPPs are designed to use the Russian fuel, while the use of the U.S. fuel threatens nuclear safety and safe operation of NPPs. In the nuclear industry the basic rule is [due] priority to [nuclear] safety, which is supported by the relevant decision of the IAEA. The disregard of the regulatory decision concerning the use of the U.S. fuel and the removal of the head of the regulatory authority of Ukraine from the post fully contradict the international requirements; therefore, the international organizations must do the outmost, take necessary legal and other actions to ensure safety hard-and-fast. The accident at Fukushima-Daiichi plant demonstrated where a shortage of regulator’s independence can lead to. In the global nuclear industry it cannot be allowed that political and economic interests override regulatory decisions. A state that uses nuclear energy should guarantee full independence of the nuclear regulator, the expert believes.
