Head of the State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation of Ukraine Hrihorii PLACHKOV handed over a separate permit to the First Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine Bohdan Borukhovskyi for the right to operate the Chornobyl NPP for commissioning of a nuclear installation - Intermediate Spent Fuel Storage Facility.

The relevant permit was handed over with the participation of the Head of the State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management Serhii Kalashnyk, Director General of Chornobyl NPP Volodymyr Pieskov and representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, the Main Directorate of the National Guard of Ukraine, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development , Holtec International.

The decision to issue a separate permit was made by the regulatory body due to the positive results of:

review and assessment of nuclear and radiation safety of documents provided by Chornobyl NPP in order to substantiate the safety of this activity;

inspection conducted by the SNRIU in order to assess the applicant's ability (Chornobyl NPP) to perform the declared activity.

"Today we are taking a significant step towards strengthening the safety of nuclear energy, because the start of work on the commissioning of SNF-2 will not only increase the level of safety of spent nuclear fuel storage, but also intensify work on decommissioning of the Chernobyl NPP," said Hrihorii Plachkov, Chairman of the SNRIU in his speech and thanked everyone involved in creating this high-tech facility.

Also in his speech, the regulator noted and thanked the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the donors of the Nuclear Safety Account for assistance in implementing all projects at the Chernobyl site aimed at resolving issues and improving the safety of nuclear energy.

From the Ministry, Bohdan Borukhovskyi noted the significant result of coordinated and team work, which will contribute to environmental safety in the exclusion zone, and thanked everyone for the successful implementation of the project for more than 20 years.

In conclusion, Hrihorii Plachkov wished everyone further success and safe conduct of activity.