National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom has announced it has held tenders to expand its exploitation of nuclear fuel made by Westinghouse at Zaporizhia nuclear power plant (NPP).

According to the company's report in the Visnyk Derzhavnykh Zakupivel state procurements bulletin, on September 30, the company accepted the offer of Nuclear Fuel Cycle of the National Scientific Center Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology for services to accompany the expansion of the exploitation of Westinghouse nuclear fuel assemblies at Zaporizhia NPP reactors.

The company is to accompany the project in 2016-2020. The cost of the offer is UAH 16.85 million (VAT included).

In addition, on September 29, Energoatom accepted the offer of Westinghouse Electric Sweden AB worth EUR 339,990 (VAT not included) to supply one WR fuel assembly simulator (EUR 165,000) and Westinghouse three plain simulators (EUR 78,330).

According to the company, the plan to expand the exploitation of modernized Westinghouse nuclear fuel (WR nuclear fuel assemblies) foresees their use at reactors one, three, four and five of the NPP.

As reported, 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.

In 2014, Energoatom and Westinghouse agreed to prolong the contract until 2020.

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.