2011-04-27 The Head of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant Has Been Replaced
On April 27 during the meeting of Government of the Republic of Lithuania the decision was made to appoint Žilvinas Jurkšus the new Director General of the State Enterprise Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP). Ž.Jurkšus is a physicist, he has led technical and technological management processes in large enterprises. He has been working at the INPP since 2010.
Present head of the enterprise Osvaldas Čiukšys has been appointed the Director for Ignalina NPP Corporate Affairs. His experience as an economist, manager and negotiator will greatly benefit the enterprise where he will continue his intensive work in the main directions of international projects - with European Commission, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and main contractor NUKEM.
Human capacity-building and leadership rotation is a natural process, implementing of such a large-scale projects like the shutdown of the INPP. The circle of targets and tasks which are raised for the INPP, is constantly expanding. In order to further strengthen the governance of the enterprise and its, as a decommissioning performer‘s, positions, it is necessary to continue the internal reforms which were commenced and thereby develop effective external relationships.
This leadership rotation will enable to concentrate human resources more effectively and give proper attention to amplification both internal administration and external relations:
- The continuity of the activity will be pursued ensuring the further progress of reforms undertaken;
- The INPP will continue its intolerance policy for abuse and will seek personal responsibility for the made detriment;
- The efforts will be made to solve disputes with contractors of main projects;
- Specific attention will be paid to ensuring further EU financing for the closure of the INPP for the period from 2014 to 2020. This becomes a priority task which accomplishment will not be easy today, in the context of economic crisis effects in Europe and repercussions of Fukushima accident which are felt in the world;
- Negotiating positions with the main projects contractors will continue to be strenghtened in order to make faster and quality implementation of these projects;
- Relationships with European Commission as well as with other EU and international institutions will be further strenghened and developed;
- The INPP is establishing Specific EU Irradiated Graphite Competence Center. This is a very perspective idea wich requires specific attention and efforts.
Key turning-point has been reached under the leadership of O.Čiukšys:
- The INPP has become a qualitatively different enterprise - it has become demanding to the contractors, administrative capacities have been strengthened, the transparency of the activity has been ensured, the substantial internal reforms have been launched;
- The INPP positions in major international institutions have been strengthened;
- The decommissioning projects management quality has been enhanced substantially;
- Insistence in regard to the general contractor of key decommissioning projects NUKEM already provides tangible positive results - construction works have accelerated, the rise of value of these projects has been slowed down.
Today Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius signed a decree and the INPP Decommissioning Supervisory Commission was created. It will be headed by the Minister of Energy Arvydas Sekmokas. It will include representatives from the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Finance and nuclear energy experts from academic community. This decision aims to strengthen both the Government attention to the INPP decommissioning process and its efficiency.
Tomorrow, on 28 April at 10 a.m. the Minister of Energy Arvydas Sekmokas will introduce a new INPP Director General Ž.Jurkšus to the enterprise‘s staff.
Daiva Rimašauskaitė,
Head of Communication- Spokesperson
El. p. daiva.rimasauskaite@iae.lt
Tel. (8-386) 24442
Ignalina NPP decommissioning activities are co-financed by European Union