NAS saves billions on nuclear power as government gives some crumbs to scientists

By Svetlana Sytina
The Ukrainian Times

This year nuclear power has provided Ukraine with some 60% of its electricity. Overall, 15 reactors, which were built as recently as the 1980s, operate today at Ukrainian nuclear power plants, whereas their service life is scheduled for 30 years.

However, Ukraine can prolong operation of its nuclear plants by 20 years at the least estimate, thanks to experts of the Institute of Nuclear Research, Kharkov Physicotechnical Institute and other institutes under the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), who are able to estimate condition of reactor vessels.

It is important to note that if Ukraine had to shut down the reactors, its losses would amount to about $1.5 billion per reactor per year.

By comparison, state budget allocations to the National Academy of Sciences do not exceed 2.5 billion grivnas (only $100 million) a year.