18:20 03.06.2022

Energoatom, Westinghouse sign agreement on supply of nuclear fuel to all Ukrainian nuclear power plants, construction of 9 AP1000 power units

3 min read
Energoatom, Westinghouse sign agreement on supply of nuclear fuel to all Ukrainian nuclear power plants, construction of 9 AP1000 power units

On June 2, the state-owned enterprise National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom and U.S. Westinghouse signed an agreement on the supply of nuclear fuel to all nuclear power plants in Ukraine at the Khmelnytsky NPP site, Energoatom told Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.

"In connection with the refusal to purchase Russian nuclear fuel, Energoatom agreed with its strategic partner, Westinghouse, to increase the supply of U.S. nuclear fuel for all Ukrainian nuclear power plants," the company said.

It is about both the supply of nuclear fuel for existing nuclear power units, and for those that Energoatom and Westinghouse are still planning to build in Ukraine.

Fuel supplies will be from the Westinghouse production site in Västerås (Sweden).

"At the same time, fuel assembly components will be manufactured in Ukraine on the basis of one of the separate divisions of Energoatom, which is currently completing the qualification for the production of heads and tails for Westinghouse fuel," the company said.

In addition, on June 2, Energoatom and Westinghouse signed two more agreements at the Khmelnytsky NPP: on increasing the number of nuclear power units to be built using AP 1000 technology in Ukraine from five to nine units, and on establishing a Westinghouse engineering and technical center in the country.

"We are grateful to Westinghouse for many years of reliable cooperation in the supply of nuclear fuel to Ukrainian nuclear power plants and the intention to quickly expand the production of additional batches of it. Eight years of Russian armed aggression proved what a right step was the diversification of nuclear fuel supplies. This gave us the opportunity three months ago to calmly and confidently make a decision to refuse Russian supplies," Energoatom President Petro Kotin, whose words are quoted in the company's message on the Telegram channel on Friday, said.

According to Minister of Energy Herman Haluschenko, in whose presence the documents were signed, the agreements concluded between Energoatom and Westinghouse are another powerful step towards Ukraine's energy independence and its carbon-free future.

"We will modernize our fleet of nuclear power units, which will produce clean, safe and reliable energy without the influence of Russia. In the future, Ukraine can become a key exporter of electricity to Europe," the minister said, adding that new generation AP1000 reactors with the best operational characteristics in the field and the ability to work in maneuvering mode.

At the same time, he said that Ukraine considers the creation of the joint Westinghouse engineering and technical center with Energoatom as trust and recognition of the high level of domestic nuclear science, the qualifications of Ukrainian nuclear engineers and a powerful foundation for the development of Ukraine's nuclear energy for a decade ahead based on the most modern technologies.

"I am sure that we will justify this trust. I thank our American partners for many years of fruitful cooperation and reliable support for Ukraine during the war," Haluschenko said.

Early March of this year, Energoatom completely refused to purchase Russian nuclear fuel after the start of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine.

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