EU Approves €678 Million to Fund Dismantling of Lithuania’s Ignalina Reactor Cores

The European Parliament endorsed a €678 million EU grant for the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant’s decommissioning assistance programme for the 2028-2034 period, marking the next major step of dismantling the reactors’ cores. This follows a €552 million contribution for the 2021-2027 cycle, during which Altra removed all spent fuel and completed dismantling of the first reactor’s technological channels. With a permit from VATESI, preparatory work on the second unit is underway and a low-level waste repository is operational.

The upcoming phase targets the removal of the graphite-moderated RBMK-1500 cores, a task never before undertaken worldwide. Altra has issued a €400 million tender via the EBRD to secure design, licensing, specialized remote-controlled tools and waste-storage infrastructure, a project expected to last about 16 years. The programme is co-financed by the European Commission through the Ignalina International Decommissioning Support Fund and national Lithuanian contributions.