Kiev extends service life of South Ukraine NPP's Unit 1 for 10 years

MOSCOW. Dec 7 (Interfax) - The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) has given a ten-year extension - until December 2, 2033 - to the operating license of Unit 1 of the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), Ukrainian media said, citing the Energy Ministry.

"Based on the results on a state nuclear and radiation safety inspection, the SNRIU board confirmed the power unit's capability to operate safely," the ministry said.

SNRIU was guided by the power unit's compliance with nuclear and radiation safety requirements as it decided whether to extend its operating license, the regulator's head Oleg Korikov said.

After its next ten years in operation are over, the South Ukraine NPP's Unit 1 will be Ukraine's first 1,000 MW power unit in operation for 50 years, Energy Minister German Galushchenko said.

"It is not the first extension of the power unit's service life, but there is a difference today. It was extended without the unit's long-term shutdown, which made it possible to generate an additional amount of electricity. We are optimizing all processes. It is important from the point of view of the state's energy security," Galushchenko said.

It is the second time the service life of the South Ukraine NPP's Unit 1 has been extended.

As reported, Units 1-3 of the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant began operating on October 18, 1983, April 6, 1985 and December 29, 1989, respectively.