A bright future for Chernobyl

A pre-feasibility study carried out by Tractebel indicates that it appears feasible from a techno-commercial viewpoint to implement a 1.2GWac solar PV plant in the exclusion zone around the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The findings of this meticulous study financed by the French Ministry for the Economy and Finance were presented by Tractebel’s experts to the Ukrainian authorities on March 19th.

"I couldn’t be prouder to disclose the positive results of such an important study,” says Caroline Tjengdrawira, Senior Project Manager at Tractebel. “The possibility of transforming the symbolic site of Chernobyl into an immense solar plant is also an opportunity to turn the page to a bright new future.”

Following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, an exclusion zone of 2,600km2 was created in the impacted area. Today, at a time when Ukraine needs to develop new energy projects more than ever to ensure permanent and sufficient production capacity, the country’s authorities are strongly committed towards green energies. The implementation of a large-scale solar plant would be an opportunity to make use of the polluted and unexploited soils as well as the existing but dormant grid infrastructure.