Representatives of State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) and delegation of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which was headed by the NRC Commissioner Mr. William Ostendorff, visited the Chernobyl NPP on June 4. The U.S. NRC delegation also included the well-known experts: Executive Director for Operations Mr. Mark Anthony Satorius, Chief of International Cooperation and Assistance Branch Ms. Mugeh Afshar-Tous, and International Relations Officer Ms. Susan Van Lenten Wittick.
The visit was conducted within the frame of the agreement between the SNRIU and NRC on exchange of technical information and cooperation in the field of nuclear and radiation safety. During the tour to Ukraine the Commission’s representatives are planning to familiarize themselves with activity of the SSTC NRS and visit the Khmelnytsky NPP site.
The President Poroshenko signed the Law No 364-VIII "On Amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine regarding the aspects of International Technical Assistance Projects implementation at Chernobyl NPP". The document eliminates gaps in the Tax Laws on the aspects of International Technical Assistance Projects implementation at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
In particular, the Tax Code is supplemented with provisions about absence of need to register non-residents – Contractors of International Technical Assistance Projects at Chernobyl NPP in the Tax Authority. It is referred to a non-resident, acting in accordance with the provisions of the Framework Agreement between Ukraine and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on the Chernobyl Shelter Fund activities in Ukraine and Grant Agreement (Chernobyl Nuclear Safety Project) between EBRD, as the administrator of funds, provided under the Grant from Nuclear Safety Account, the Government of Ukraine and Chernobyl NPP.
The Code is also supplemented with the provision on tax exemption from ChNPP income and corporate profit, obtained from international technical assistance or from the funds provided in the State Budget of Ukraine as Ukrainian contribution into Chernobyl Shelter Fund for the period of preparation for ChNPP decommissioning and decommissioning and Shelter object transformation into ecologically safe system. In case of violation of requirements regarding use of tax-exempt funds the taxpayer is obliged to increase the tax liability for this tax according to the tax period, during which such a violation is occurred and to pay a penalty calculated in accordance with the Code.
The Law comes into force on the day following the day of its publication.
Press Service of the President of Ukraine
Ministry of Economical Development and Trade of Ukraine registered the International Technical Assistance Project "Creation and implementation of Chernobyl NPP decommissioning Visualization Center" within the Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Norway Kingdom on cooperation in the field of Nuclear and Radiation Safety, Chernobyl NPP decommissioning and Shelter object transformation into ecologically safe system. Contractor for this work performance is the Institute of Energy Technologies (IFE) from Norway.
The goal of the Project is to introduce modern three-dimensional modeling technologies and visualization to improve the efficiency and safety of works at all stages of Chernobyl NPP decommissioning. The center will be used for planning, training and introduction of procedures for the personnel, demonstration of the decommissioning process to regulatory authorities and general public. It also will provide capabilities to plan and to control the exposure doses, visualize radiation scenarios for planning and training for different tasks. This will significantly reduce labor expenses, radiation exposure of the personnel, improve the efficiency and safety during dismantling and radioactive materials management.
According to the Project schedule delivery of equipment and necessary software, its installation will be performed during June-September 2015. Commissioning of the Center for pilot operation is scheduled for October 2015.
For information: Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) is International Research Institute in the field of energy and nuclear technology. IFE Mission is research and development in the energy sector, oil and petrochemical industry, in the field of alternative energy sources. The Institute was founded in 1948. Cooperation between Chernobyl NPP and IFE was started in 2006, but work was suspended due to the lack of Agreement between Ukraine and Norway. Intergovernmental Agreement on Cooperation between Norway and Ukraine was signed in Oslo on November 30, 2012, that gave the green light for completion of Project works on Visualization Center creation, as well as for new joint projects implementation.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine appointed Yurii Antipov a Head of the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management by its Decree No. 471-з dated May 14, 2015.
Previously Mr. Antipov held a position of Acting Director of PJSC Nuclear Fuel Production Plant and headed the Chief Directorate of the MES of Ukraine in Odessa region. He is a liquidator of the Chernobyl NPP accident.