Nuclear power occupies one of the most prominent places in the Ukrainian economy. The industry employs more than 38 thousand people. For recent years, having only 22.8% of the installed capacity, nuclear power plants during autumn and winter maximum loads generated about 53% of the country's electricity. At the same time, share of nuclear electricity generation are stable: in 1996 it was 43.8 %, in 2000 - 45.3%, in 2004 - 53,2%, in 2005 - 52,3%, in 2006 - 46,4%, in 2007 - 47,4%. Currently there are 15 operating power units at Ukrainian NPPs, including 13 units with VVER 1000, 2 units with VVER 440 new generation).

For the last years nuclear power industry in Ukraine faced fun­damental structural changes intended for improvement of NPP performance under market economic conditions. Thus, state enterprise National Nuclear Energy Generating Company ENERGOATOM (NNEGC ENERGOATOM) integrating five Ukrainian nuclear power plants was established on 17 October 1996 by Resolution № 1268 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

Due to early shutdown of Chornobyl NPP and its withdrawal from ENERGOATOM's structure, in order to solve the issue of employment of the personnel made redundant as a result of the shutdown, to improve quality management and effectiveness of the maintenance work at nuclear power plants, NNEGC ENERGOATOM by its Order № 821 dated November 29, 2001 estab-lished ATOMREMONTSERVIS (ARS), a nuclear maintenance enterprise.

Four nuclear power plants, ARS, "Atomkomplekt", "Scientific and Technical center", "Atomenergomash" and "Administrative department"  are the separated entities (structural units) of NNEGC ENERGOATOM. All of them have banking accounts and pay taxes to the local budgets in keeping with applicable law. ENERGOATOM operates in compliance with its charter, in cooperation with the state authorities and central and local self-governments.

NNEGC ENERGOATOM is subordinate to the Ministry of Fuel and Energy of Ukraine. The Ministry formulates state policy in the field, represents and promotes interests of Ukraine regard­ing nuclear power performance in the IAEA and other interna­tional organizations.

In line with the Law of Ukraine "On Nuclear Energy Utilization and Radiation Safety" ENERGOATOM is entrusted with the functions of the operating body in charge of all Ukrainian NPPs. Besides, ENERGOATOM is engaged in construction of new power units and rehabilitation of those in operation, pur­chase of the fresh (new) nuclear fuel and removal of radioac­tive waste, establishing the national infrastructure of spent fuel and radioactive waste management, physical protection of nuclear facilities, retraining, qualification upgrading, resolu­tion of the social problems of the employees, etc.

Creation of ENERGOATOM was intended for introduction of the uniform technical and economic policy in the field. Increase in electricity production at nuclear power plants under conditions of the continued operational safety improve­ment was and still is the main task of NNEGC ENERGOATOM Five year experience of ENERGOATOM's operation proved that merging of nuclear power plants into one utility improved financial and economic situation in the industry, allowed to solve in more expedite and economical way many issues deal­ing with vital functions of NPPs.

Annually all nuclear power plants of the company execute a package of technical activities aimed at reliability enhance­ment of nuclear power units. Priority tasks of ENERGOATOM include putting into operation of the first line of the Tashlyk PSP, preparation works at the industrial grounds of the 4th and 3rd units of the Khmelnitsky NPP, completion of two power units at Rivne and Khmelnitsky NPP, construction of dry storage of spent fuel for Rivne, South-Ukrainian and Khmelnitsky NPP, commercial operation of dry storage of spent fuel at Zaporizhzhya NPP, completion of South Ukraine hydrocomplex at South Ukraine NPP.

NNEGC ENERGOATOM is concerned about future development of the industry. Specialists of the company work over the issues of operating life time extension of Ukrainian power units, raising capacity by selection of a new reactor type, creation of an open-end nuclear fuel cycle; they study nuclear fuel options.

The problem of the Company property interest protection is at the first place. Now NNEGC "Energoatom" purports to take measures to avoid shadow schemes of assignment of assets and means of the Company. It is planned to do so within the limits of acting legislation and also by the way of corresponding laws changing.

NNEGC "Energoatom" takes care about the future development of the field. Specialists of the Company work under such problems as extention of Ukrainian power units' operation, capacity overgrowth, selection of a new type of reactor, unclosed nuclear fuel cycle creation, searching for alternative nuclear fuel.