PURPOSE : to provide financing for the decommissioning of the Bohunice V1 nuclear power plant in Slovakia.
CONTENT : Slovakia has committed to closure of Unit 1 and Unit 2 of the Bohunice V1 nuclear power plant by 31 December 2006 and 31 December 2008, respectively, at the latest. The Union has expressed its willingness to continue to provide financial assistance up to 2006 as an extension of the pre-accession aid planned under the Phare programme in support of Slovakia's decommissioning efforts.
In the Protocol the European Union has also recognised that decommissioning of the Bohunice V1 nuclear power plant will have to continue beyond the current Financial Perspectives and that this effort represents a significant financial burden for Slovakia. Decisions on the continuation of assistance from the Union in this field after 2006 will take account of this situation.
With this proposal, the European Commission is calling for legislative measures needed for the European Union to continue granting financial assistance beyond 2006 to Slovakia for the closure of the Bohunice V1 nuclear power plant. The decommissioning of nuclear installations involves the commitment of considerable sums of money (about 15% of the investment cost of a reactor) and extends over an extremely long period of time. The measures financed by this support must obviously cover the technical operations involved in the decommissioning of nuclear installations. However, the plan is not to limit them to the technical aspects alone, but also to take account of other areas, such as security of energy supply, and the social aspects (redeployment of power plant staff).
The contribution for certain measures may amount to up to 100% of the total expenditure. Every effort shall be made to continue the co-financing practice established under the preaccession assistance and the assistance given over the period 2004-2006 for Slovakia's decommissioning effort as well as to attract co-financing from other sources, as appropriate.
The financial assistance may be made available as a Community contribution to the Bohunice International Decommissioning Support Fund managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS :
- Budget line : the budget line used for the years 2004-2006 is 060505 nuclear safety – transitional measures (decommissioning).
- Total : EUR 237 million.
- Period of application : 2007-2013.
- Impact on human resources : 2.5 permanent staff representing a total of EUR 270 000 per year (in addition to the financial envelope).