The year 1977 became a starting point for Ukrainian nuclear power. In September the first nuclear power unit with RBMK-1000 type reactor (with the capacity of 1000 MW) was put in commercial operation at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The fast construction of new nuclear power units was driven by the growing demand for the electricity and attempts to replace fossil and hydro power plants. Before the man-caused accident at Unit ¹ 4 of Chornobyl NPP (Apri 1986) there were 10 nuclear power units in operation in Ukraine, eight out of ten had capacity of 1000 MW. In the period from 1986 to 1990, when the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed the Decree «On Moratorium on construction of new nuclear power plants in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic», six more nuclear power units with the capacity of 1000 MW each (three at Zaporizhzhya NPP, one at South Ukraine NPP, one at Khmelnitsky NPP, and one at Rivne NPP) were commissioned. Five nuclear power plants with 15 units were operating in Ukraine at the time when it gained its independence in August 1991. In December 1991 the enterprises of nuclear power industry were integrated in UKRATOMENERGOPROM Concern that was reorganized in DERZHKOMATOM of Ukraine - Ukrainian State Committee on Nuclear Power Utilization. On 21 October 1993 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine lifted the Moratorium. The works at Unit ¹6 of Zaporizhzhya NPP, Unit ¹4 of Rivne NPP and Unit ¹2 of Khrnelnitsky NPP were resumed. In October 1995 the 6th unit of Zaporizhzhya NPP was commissioned. Zaporizhzhya NPP with its overall installed capacity of 6 GW became the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. On 17 October 1996 provided by Decree ¹1268 by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the state-owned enterprise «National Nuclear Energy Generating Company ENERGOATOM» (NNEGC ENERGOATOM) was established. Chornobyl NPP is the first nuclear power plant in Ukraine that has been shut down before its designed service ife termination. Currently, three power units with RBMK-1000 reactors are under decommissioning, namely: the second unit-from 1991 following the fire in the turbine hall, the first unit - from 1996 in accordance with the decision of the Ukrainian Government, and the third unit was shut down in late 2000. In accordance with the Decree by the Government of Ukraine dated 25 April 2001 Chornobyl NPP was withdrawn from the structure of NNEGC ENERGOATOM. It was granted with a status of the state specialized enterprise. To settle the problems of employment of the Chornobyl NPP's personnel made redundant and, moreover, to improve the quality management and effectiveness of the maintenance works at nuclear power plants, in November 2000 a new enterprise - ATOMREMONTSERVIS was established included into the Company’s structure. Olexandrivska Hydro Power Plant with the capacity of 2.5 MW, which makes part of the South Ukraine power complex, was put in commercia operation in April 1999. It is planned to complete construction and put into operation the first line of Tashlyk Hydro-Electric Pumped Storage that consists of two units , in 2006. On August and October, 2004, the 2nd unit of the Khmelnitska NPP and the 4th unit of the Rivne NPP were put into operation. In July 2001 Zaporizhzhya NPP obtained a license for pilot and commercial operation of the first three casks for the spent fuel dry storage facility. Today, the works are going on to transfer the storage to the commercial operation. Recently, in July 2002 the South Ukraine NPP being the first among the Ukrainian nuclear power plants, has obtained a license issued by DERZHATOMREGULUVANNYA, for operation of nuclear installations. Currently, there are 15 operating power units at Ukrainian NPPs, including 13 power units with VVER-1000 and 2 power units with VVER-440 reactors (new generation). Ukraine occupies the 7th place in the world and the 4th place in Europe for the number of reactors and their total capacity. | 
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