91996E2853

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2853/96 by Hiltrud Breyer (V) to the Commission (25 October 1996)

Subject: Nuclear industry in thre Slovak Republic

How does the Commission regard the fact that no solution - in terms of funding, choice of location, technology and state of the art - has been found for the short or the long term to the problem of nuclear waste, given that this problem is beyond the technical and financial resources of the Slovak Republic?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (6 January 1997)

Radioactive waste from reactor operation is the largest quantity produced in terms of volume. Definitive disposal takes place at the repository for short-lived waste located near Mochovce. Long-lived waste is stored at the power plants until a repository in deep geological formations is available. Research for siting and developing such a deep repository is in progress. Spent nuclear fuel is likewise stored at or near the power plants, and a special dry storage facility for long term storage is being prepared.

This situation is quite similar to the situation in a number of Member States. Financing of the management of radioactive waste is provided by charging costs through the price of electricity to the consumer. There is also a provision for later decommissioning. An exception is the dismantling of the old Bohunice A1 reactor, where decommissioning has to be supported by the general budget.

The Slovak Republic receives assistance for developing a full regulatory framework and for decommissioning of the A1 reactor, mainly through the Commission Phare programme.