President of Energy Systems at Westinghouse Electric Company David Durham does not rule out that the first small modular reactor (SMR) AP300 can be built in Ukraine.

"We plan to get our design certified by the end of 2027. As for the location of the first AP300, it really depends on the customers. We don't have to build the first unit in the United States, we could build the first unit in Ukraine," he told Interfax-Ukraine.

Westinghouse is currently negotiating potential AP300 SMRs with several customers in the United States and elsewhere, including in Central and Eastern Europe, he said.

"We assume that countries interested in the AP1000 will also be interested in the AP300, given identical technologies used in it," he said.

The President of Energy Systems considers the advantage of Westinghouse in terms of SMR over other developers is the presence of huge experience in building reactors.

"There are many different technologies being developed and promoted by different companies in the nuclear power industry. However, most of these companies have never built a reactor before," he said.

In his opinion, the reactor sizes chosen by Westinghouse have different advantages and can be used in different areas and industries.

"AP1000 large units can provide up to 1200 MW of power. It is a source of large, base load around large communities or large industrial centers. AP300 SMRs are ideal for small communities or large industrial plants. In addition, 5 MW eVinci micro-reactors are ideal for remote communities that use diesel fuel, or for remote industrial plants, marine cargo ships burning diesel fuel, for oil and gas, chemical industry, data centers," he said.

Durham also said that the first nuclear power unit in Ukraine based on AP1000 technology is planned to be built at the site of the Khmelnytsky NPP. At the same time, National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom will be responsible for the selection and management of construction companies, and the role of Westinghouse is to provide technology, engineering support, and equipment.

According to him, the estimate of the construction of one AP1000 unit, released earlier by Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Haluschenko, does not contradict a study on the expected cost of AP1000 in the United States conducted last year by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

U.S. Eximbank will provide support in financing the construction of Energoatom's unit.