Nuclear output soaring as shutdown proceeds

Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant reported electricity sales of 7.5 billion kWh in the first six months of the year, a 21 percent rise in sales year-on-year.
In all, the plant generated 8.15 billion kWh of power in the first six months of this year, with June generation totaling 1.24 billion kWh, up 7.5 percent compared with June of 2002.
The plant's information center said that current capacities of the first bloc amounted to 1,100 megawatts per hour, whereas the second reactor was operating at a capacity of 1,150 megawatts per hour.
Considering the recent surge in power demand, the plant will postpone repairs of the first reactor to July 12. Maintenance works will be wrapped up by the beginning of November.
Ignalina nuclear power plant, which is scheduled to shut down its first reactor by the end of 2004 and decommission the second bloc by 2009, is hoping to generate 14.4 billion kWh of power this year.
The plant's International Decommissioning Fund an-nounced that total receipts as of Jan. 1, 2003, amounted to 206.5 million litas (60 million euros), an annual growth of 75.6 million litas.
In the beginning of 2002 the fund managed 130.9 million litas, which included a state debt of 73.1 million litas to the fund.
Economy Minister Petras Cesna, chairman of the council of the fund, noted that in 2002 the fund's income amounted to 82 million litas, made up of payments from the power plant itself.
Fund expenditures mounted to 6.4 million litas, with funds allocated for institutions responsible for implementing various aspects of the decommissioning program.
Total receipts of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development amounted to 221 million litas, according to the economy miniser.
All financial resources of the fund have already been distributed among projects aimed at shutting down the power station.