The first AP1000 power unit of the American company Westinghouse at the Khmelnytsky NPP site can begin operation in 2028-2029, President of National Nuclear Generating Company Energoatom Petro Kotin has said.

"Such a power unit will take approximately five years to build. Thus, in 2028-2029, if everything goes well, it will be connected to the Ukrainian energy system," Kotin said during the national telethon United News late Tuesday evening.

At the same time, he said that reactors of this type produce almost 1,200 MW, indicating that the future power unit will be the most powerful in Ukraine.

Kotin also said that the AP1000 technology is currently recognized as the safest in the world.

As reported, Kotin and Westinghouse CEO Patrick Fragman signed a contract on December 17 in Kyiv for the purchase of a reactor plant for Ukraine's first nuclear power unit (NPP) using AP1000 technology, which will be built at the site of the Khmelnytsky NPP.

As Minister of Energy Herman Haluschenko said during the signing ceremony, financing will be provided from Energoatom's own funds and attracted lending from U.S. Exim Bank, and the cost of construction of one AP1000 block is estimated at about $5 billion.

The head of Westinghouse recalled that five AP1000 units have already been built and are operating at nuclear power plants in the United States and China, and another five units are almost ready to begin operation.

In July 2022, the companies signed a contract to develop an updated feasibility study for the construction of two AP1000 units at the Khmelnytsky NPP site in Ukraine.