You're reading: Yanukovych approves procedure for nuclear fuel purchase from one bidder

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has signed a law on the principles of the purchase of fuel assemblies for nuclear reactors, the presidential press service reported on Tuesday.

After adopting a respective law on December 9, 2011, the Verkhovna Rada obliged the state to buy nuclear fuel and services for its production, storage and processing under a procedure for purchase from one bidder.

According to the document, the customer does not have to explain the application of a procedure for purchase from one bidder.

The agreement on the acquisition of nuclear fuel is signed no earlier than 14 days after the publication of information on the bidder.

According to an explanatory note to the law, the adoption of the law will allow the purchase of nuclear fuel from producers, their subsidiaries or other affiliated companies under direct agreements. The authors of the draft say that this will promote the optimal and rational use of state funds and prevent any abuses of office in the area.

As reported, the key supplier of nuclear fuel for Ukrainian nuclear power plants (NPPs) is Russia’s TVEL. In early June 2010, TVEL and Ukrainian Energoatom signed a long-term contract on the supply of fresh nuclear fuel for Ukrainian NPPs after 2010.

Ukraine continues cooperating with U.S. Westinghouse Electric Company under a contract on commercial supplies of nuclear fuel in 2011-2015.

Westinghouse fuel assemblies will be used in reactor three and two of Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP. In 2012, Westinghouse fuel assemblies will be loaded to reactor five of Zaporizhia NPP.

In addition, Ukraine jointly with TVEL will build a nuclear fuel plant in Kirovohrad region. Kyiv-based Nuclear Fuel Concern will obtain a controlling stake in the new company. In 2015, the plant will start producing fuel rods and arrays and in 2020 – fuel powder and tablets.

Energoatom operates all four of the nuclear power stations in Ukraine, with fifteen generating units outfitted with water-cooled fast-breeder reactors with an installed generating capacity of 13.835 gigawatts.