KIEV, Oct. 7 - Russia's Sberbank is prepared to lend $1 billion for priority efforts to finish building generating units at the Khmelnytsky nuclear power plant in Ukraine, a source at EnergoAtom, the state corporation that operates Ukrainian nuclear plants, told Interfax.

The source said the loan would be repayable in three years and would be backed by sovereign guarantees.

The loan is contingent on Ukraine itself funding at least 15% of project costs.