GREENPEACE CALLS ON EUROPEAN COMMISSION NOT TO SUPPORT NUCLEAR REACTORS TO REPLACE CHERNOBYL IN THE UKRAINE

4 September 2000

BRUSSELS -- Greenpeace today urged the European Commission to oppose EU-financing of the Ukrainian nuclear reactors Khmelnitsky-2 and Rovno-4 ("K2R4") to replace the Chernobyl reactor destroyed in the nuclear disaster of 1986. The European Commission is considering a Euratom loan for K2R4 of up to US$ 610 million.

"Europe is still suffering from Chernobyl. It defies belief that the Commission would support replacing Chernobyl with two reactors which are equally dangerous rather than other safer and cheaper energy options", said Tobias Münchmeyer, Greenpeace International Nuclear Campaigner.

On Wednesday the 20 European Commissioners will decide on a communication to the Commission with the title "Commission support to nuclear safety in the Newly Independent States and Central and Eastern Europe". Part of the proposed strategy for nuclear safety work in Ukraine is the "continuation of co-operation with Ukraine and the EBRD – European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on the Khmelnitsky 2 and Rovno 4 (K2R4) project to ensure, through constant political dialogue with Ukraine, that these two reactors are completed to the highest possible safety standards".

Münchmeyer said: "Nuclear reactors are never safe, that’s why in there are no plans to build new reactors in the EU and there is not a single nuclear reactor under construction. However the K2R4 reactors can’t ever reach the highest possible safety standards, because they are of old Soviet design and the Ukraine lacks money for their maintenance and the workers’ salaries."

The European Commission’s communication ignores also the fact, that at least five EU countries (Germany, Austria, Sweden, Denmark and Belgium) are formally opposed to the K2R4 project and other EU countries are reportedly concerned about it. Also at the EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels held on May 23rd this year, the Foreign Ministers of Sweden, Germany and Austria refused to approve a joint EU statement to re-emphasize the EU’s readiness to take part in the financing of K2/R4. Instead of this the final document confirmed the EU’s intention to support the financing of "replacement capacities". This formulation freed the way for financing non-nuclear capacities instead of K2R4.

"There are clearly more EU countries against the financing of K2R4, than in favor of it. The Eurpean Commission must reflect this balance and reject any commitment for financing K2R4" said Münchmeyer.

Besides the European Commission, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering a loan to finance for K2R4. A final decision by the EBRD is expected in late autumn this year.

"There are more economic and safer alternatives to K2R4 available - the potential of energy-efficiency measures and renewables are immense," said Münchmeyer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Tobias Munchmeyer, Greenpeace nuclear campaigner: +49 3044058960
- Jon Walter, Greenpeace International Communications: +31 6 5236608

Visit Greenpeace's Nuclear campaign website www.greenpeace.org/~nuclear/reactor.html.