Ukraine, USA extend nuclear safety cooperation
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The agreement on Operational Safety Enhancements, Risk Reduction Measures and Nuclear Safety Regulation for Civil Nuclear Facilities was signed in October 1993.
A joint declaration on intentions to extend the agreement by five years was signed in Kiev on 12 November by Ukrainian Minister for Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin and US Energy Secretary Rick Perry. A agreement to extend the cooperation will be carried out through the exchange of diplomatic notes between the two governments.
In a joint statement the US Department of Energy and Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the extension of the agreement seeks "to continue cooperation in order to, inter alia, enhance the safety of civil nuclear facilities in Ukraine, to develop operational safety procedures and protocols, to improve diagnostic capabilities and to improve regulatory effectiveness." This would be done through "developing appropriate regulatory standards, requirements and procedures".
Ukraine has 15 nuclear units in commercial operation at four sites - Khmelnitsky, Rovno, South Ukraine and Zaporozhe - which are all operated by state-owned Energoatom. The units comprise 13 VVER-1000s and two VVER-440s. Ukraine receives most of its nuclear services and nuclear fuel from Russia, but it is reducing this dependence by buying fuel from US-headquartered Westinghouse.
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