WRITTEN QUESTION E-3122/00

by Ioannis Marínos (PPE-DE) and Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(6 October 2000)

Subject: Leak at Kozloduy and construction of new reactors in Ukraine

A dispatch from the French News Agency dated 6 September 2000 states that a radiation leak was reported at the Bulgarian nuclear power plant in Kozloduy, and that two workers were contaminated by radiation. This was also confirmed by the Bulgarian authorities. Although they did not divulge the exact time of the incident, or the extent of contamination to personnel, the authorities nevertheless admitted that there were safety defects at the nuclear electricity plant. It is well-known that the Council is urging the immediate closure of all dangerous and obsolete nuclear plants in the pre-accession and applicant countries, while the Commission has been pursuing a similar policy, until recently. According to the Guardian, a reliable British newspaper, it now seems to be abandoning this policy. The Guardian reports that Commissioner Chris Patten, responsible for the EU's external relations, is pressing the Ukrainian authorities to replace the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, due to cease operating at the end of the year, with two new nuclear reactors, even though Ukraine itself stopped requesting such a move some time ago.

1. What action did the Commission take in response to the radiation leak from Kozloduy, an incident which endangered the health of Bulgarian citizens and also citizens of neighbouring countries, such as Greece?

2. Who is monitoring the application of the Sofia Memorandum (1999) on the closure of dangerous reactors (first generation VVER-440/20-type) in Kozloduy and how will the Commission ensure that decommissioning of dangerous reactors is carried out in parallel with the Euratom loan payment of 212,5 million to upgrade reactors 5 and 6 (VVER-1000)?

3. Does the Commission know whether Bulgaria has drawn up a decommissioning programme for dangerous reactors, as it is obliged to under the Sofia Memorandum (1999)?

4. What appropriations were granted from the PHARE programme for the support of measures relating to decommissioning reactors 1 and 2, and how will the Commission intervene with the Bulgarian authorities if the reports in the Bulgarian press on the upgrading of reactors 3 and 4 prove true, despite the fact that these reactors are earmarked for definitive decommissioning?

5. Could the Commission state whether it is really pressing for new nuclear reactors to be built in Ukraine?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 2000)

The Commission fully shares the Community position on the importance of a high level of nuclear safety in Central and Eastern Europe in the context of enlargement, most lately emphasised at the Helsinki European Council. The Commission's actions concerning reactors in candidate countries which cannot be upgraded to internationally accepted levels of safety at a reasonable cost, are guided by the objective of achieving their earliest practicable closure, in line with the Council conclusions of December 1998. Within this framework, in November 1999, the Commission and the Bulgarian government reached an understanding, under which Bulgaria committed to the early definitive closure of units 1-4 of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant (NPP).

While the Bulgarian government is responsible for the implementation of its closure commitments under the November 1999 understanding, the Commission closely monitors progress in this area and co-operates fruitfully to that end with the Bulgarian authorities, in particular within the framework of the Commission-Bulgaria joint working group for the closure and decommissioning of units 1-4 of the Kozloduy NPP. This group has met twice in the course of the year 2000.

Furthermore, Bulgaria's compliance with its closure commitments is monitored by the Commission in the regular reports as well as in the context of the implementation of the accession partnership priorities. It will also figure strongly in the Commission's recommendations with regard to the opening and closing of the energy chapter in the accession negotiations.

The disbursement of the Euratom loan for the upgrading of units 5 and 6 of the Kozloduy plant, concluded in June 2000, is conditional upon compliance with closure commitments for units 1-4. Likewise, the financial assistance provided in accordance with the understanding under the special PHARE programme is conditional upon Bulgaria's compliance. This is being taken into account in the programming of this support under the annual budgeting requirements. In addition, the European Bank for reconstruction and development (EBRD), in its capacity of manager of the Kozloduy international decommissioning support fund, through which the bulk of the Community grant assistance will be channelled, will report on Bulgaria's compliance with its closure commitments.

The drawing up of the decommissioning plan for Kozloduy units 1 and 2 is well under way. In this context, the Bulgarian authorities, in co-operation with the Commission, established in July 2000 a work plan setting out the necessary steps and measures, including their timetable, leading to the definitive closure of these units before 2003. Similar activities for the closure and decommissioning of units 3 and 4 can only be initiated after the year 2002, when the exact date for the definitive closure of these two units will be agreed, in accordance with the understanding. It is recalled that the Commission understands the closure of these units will be in 2006 at the latest.

In accordance with the understanding, the Commission has pledged a multi-annual assistance package for Bulgaria's energy sector. This package includes PHARE grants of 200 million for the period 2000-2006, the provision of the second half of this amount to be confirmed in 2002, depending on the confirmation of the understanding on definitive closure dates for units 3 and 4. For the year 2000, the Commission plans to commit the sum of 30,2 million to this end. This sum includes 5,2 million for institution-building projects (of which 3,3 million have already been committed) and 25 million as a first tranche of the Community contribution to the Kozloduy International decommissioning fund.

It is necessary to ensure adequate safety is maintained for the rest of the foreseen lifetime of Kozloduy units 3 and 4. The Commission has no competence with respect to works which the Bulgarian authorities may carry out on these units. However, no Community assistance will be considered for projects which could contribute to prolonging the operation of these reactors beyond the provisions of the agreed closure commitments.

The incident which occurred on 27 August 2000 in unit 3 of the Kozloduy nuclear power plant was classified as level 1 on the severity scale of the International Atomic Energy Agency, i.e. the lowest level on that scale. Incidents of this severity are not of a nature to endanger the health of people outside the plant nor in neighbouring countries. Hence, the Commission did not feel it necessary

to take any action in response to this incident, apart from requesting information from the Bulgarian side, which was provided. However, the Commission took note of statements made on that occasion by the head of the Bulgarian regulatory authority, as reported in the press, according to which the Bulgarian authorities have noted an upward trend in the number of safety related incidents in the plant. The Bulgarian authorities will continue to monitor the situation, taking into account that achieving a high level of nuclear safety in the candidate countries is an important issue in the context of enlargement and a priority of the accession partnership with Bulgaria.

In December 1995, the Ukrainian Government and the group of seven most industrialized (G7) and the Commission signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) committing themselves to the completion of K2R4. This memorandum of understanding includes several commitments on both sides, the most important being the Ukrainian commitment to shut down the Chernobyl plant by the year 2000. This will be honoured by the Ukrainian government, which has decided to shut down the plant by 15 December 2000.

The MOU also contains a point related to an energy investment programme, which includes the preparation of loan-financed projects based upon least-cost planning principles for completion of K2R4 reactors, and also for thermal and hydro plant rehabilitation and pumped storage projects as well as for energy efficiency projects in accordance with Ukraine's energy sector strategy.

In line with these commitments, the Commission is supporting the Ukrainian nuclear safety authorities, the Ukrainian nuclear utility and Ukrainian engineering organisations in preparing for possible loans from the EBRD and from Euratom to complete and upgrade the K2R4 nuclear units to an internationally acceptable safety level.

Without pre-empting the outcome of these ongoing actions, which will allow the different parties to take a decision on the proposed loans, they will be subject to conditions such as the need for an acceptable level of nuclear safety as well to satisfactory progress in the reform of the energy sector.