Chornobyl nuclear site gets its own solar power plant
A new 2-megawatt solar power plant has begun operating at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant site, providing electricity for critical facilities involved in nuclear and radiation safety, Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Sept. 9.
The solar plant will supply power to facilities including the New Safe Confinement over the destroyed Unit 4 reactor, radioactive waste management facilities and spent nuclear fuel storage.
The plant is expected to generate more than 2 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, covering about 5% of the Chornobyl site's yearly electricity consumption.
According to Shmyhal, the new generation capacity will make the site more resilient and less dependent on external power supplies. It is also expected to save around $365,000 annually, with the money to be used to modernize and replace equipment needed for the safe decommissioning of the nuclear plant.
The project cost more than $825,000. Lithuania supplied the solar panels and inverters as humanitarian assistance, while the UN Development Programme, with funding from Japan, provided additional equipment, installation and commissioning.