The Central Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility (CSFSF) is completely ready for operation, it remains to obtain permission from the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, Head of Energoatom Petro Kotin said.

"All work on our part has been completed, the technical procedures at the power units are being completed, the permission of the State Architectural and Construction Inspectorate has also been obtained, it remains to obtain permission from the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate. We expect it in the coming days," Kotin said during the ceremonial opening of the CSFSF in the exclusion zone on Friday.

According to him, about UAH 6 billion have been invested in the CSFSF implementation project at this stage since the start of construction.

At the same time, Kotin does not allow any risks with the commissioning of the storage facility. "Very soon we will start supplying real containers to CSFSF with nuclear fuel. I don't think we will not be able to do this for some reason," he said.

The head of Energoatom stressed that the first containers will arrive by the end of the year, according to the approved schedules, which provide for a certain margin of safety at the NPPs themselves.

"It is 100% that we will not take them to the Russian Federation," Kotin said.

Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko, who was present at the opening, noted that the CSFSF is an important project in many aspects, first of all, energy independence from the Russian Federation.

"We are talking about real independence from Russia, one of the most important things that we must ensure," the minister said.

Earlier, the Minister of Energy announced the opening of the CSFSF tentatively for the Independence Day of Ukraine – August 24.