The Finnish state-utility IVO has acquired a reactor pressure vessel and steam generator from the now-defunct Polish Zarnowiec nuclear plant. (December 4, 1994) These components will be used by the Loviisa N-plant for spare parts and for research purposes. The pressure vessel purchased by IVO is of the VVER-440 type, similar to the one used at the Loviisa reactor.
The Zarnowiec nuclear plant was terminated a few years ago when geological studies proved the site unsafe. After the demise of the Soviet Union and due to lengthly delays in the project schedule made it impossible to find financing. Power In Europe, 21 October 1994 (page 13)
Nuclear Electric (UK) recently signed major new contracts with Russia for uranium and enrichment services worth about 80 million pounds (US$130 million). John Rowland, NE's uranium and enrichment services manager, said: "They (the Russians) give us greatly increased flexibility, and the prices we can buy the material for are very favorable" NE would like to buy more from uranium from Russia but was prevented from doing so by the Euratom Supply Agency, which set a limit of 15% - 20% on its purchases in a bid to protect European producers. "Their policy could cost NE 10-million pounds a year", according to Rowland. Nuclear Fuel, 24 October 1994 (page 15)
Ukraine asked Germany to supply nuclear fuel production and processing technology in an effort to emancipate its nuclear fuel cycle from Russia. Minister of Environment Yuri Kostenko said that, because Ukraine has virtually no advanced capabilities for producing and enriching fuel, it is at the mercy of Russian industry. 'This situation is extremely disadvantageous for Ukraine", according to Kostenko, "Uranium and Zirconium processing in Ukraine have been extremely energy intensive and environmentally destructive".
On Ukraine territory there is mainly the raw material processing component of the nuclear fuel cycle and also auxiliary capabilities in heavy water, neutron absorber materials, and zirconium concentrate production.
A project to construct a nuclear fuel assembly plant in Ukraine is "urgent" and would be justified by "allowing us to substiantially increase the economic performance of Ukraine's nuclear power industry and ensure diversity of fresh fuel supply", according to Kostenko. Nuclear Fuel, 7 November 1994 (page 12)