National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom plans to only use Westinghouse fuel assemblies in 2018 at reactor three of Yuzhnoukrainsk nuclear power plant (NPP), Head of the State Nuclear Regulation Inspectorate Serhiy Bozhko has told reporters.

He said that Energoatom will receive a permit to load all Westinghouse fuel assemblies to the active zone of reactor three if the use of Westinghouse fuel assemblies of an older modification is proven.

As reported, in May 2014 Westinghouse finished tests of the modified Westinghouse (WR) fuel assemblies. According to the conclusions of Energoatom and the inspectorate's specialists, the modifications have considerably improved the consumption of the assemblies.

In September 2014, the inspectorate permitted the loading of WR fuel assemblies to reactor three of Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP.

Energoatom began to examine Westinghouse fuel in 2000 in a bid to diversify Ukraine's sources of nuclear fuel.

In March 2008, Energoatom signed a contract with Westinghouse Electric Sweden AB to provide fresh nuclear fuel in 2011-2015 for three and six Ukrainian nuclear generating units fitted with VVER-1000 reactors.

Energoatom is the operator of all four Ukrainian-based operating nuclear power plants, which have 15 VVER reactors with an overall generating capacity of 13.835 gigawatts.