Nuclear reactors in Lithuania - EU decommissioning aid

When negotiating to join the EU, Lithuania undertook to close down its Ignalina nuclear power plant - a plant similar in design to Chernobyl - by an agreed date. The EU agreed to help Lithuania cover the high costs of the decommissioning* process.

ACT

Council Regulation (EU) No 1369/2013 of 13 December 2013 on Union support for the nuclear decommissioning assistance programme in Lithuania, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1990/2006.

SUMMARY

WHAT DOES THIS REGULATION DO?

It describes the EU's programme of financial support for aspects of the decommissioning of units 1 and 2 of the Ignalina nuclear power plant in Lithuania.

KEY POINTS

The specific objectives of the Ignalina programme are:

• defuelling the reactor core of unit 2 and the reactor fuel ponds of units 1 and 2 and transferring the spent fuel to the dry spent fuel storage facility;
• safely maintaining the reactor units;
• dismantling the turbine hall and other auxiliary buildings and safely managing the waste from decommissioning in accordance with a detailed waste management plan.

Joint annual work programme

Each year, from 2014 to 2020, the European Commission will adopt a joint annual work programme for Ignalina specifying objectives, expected results, performance indicators and the timeline for the use of funds.

Budget

The EU is to contribute €450,818,000 at current prices to this programme.

WHEN DOES THIS REGULATION APPLY?

From 1 January 2014. It repeals Regulation (EC) No 1990/2006 with effect from the same date.

KEY TERM

Decommissioning: this is the final stage of the lifecycle of a nuclear installation such as a power plant or research reactor. It includes everything from shutting down the installation and removing nuclear material to restoring the environment at and around the site. The process can take up to 30 years.

For further information, see the European Commission's webpage on the decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

last update 17.03.2015