Westinghouse and Energoatom to jointly produce nuclear fuel
Energoatom and Westinghouse agree to build nine AP1000 reactors in Ukraine
Westinghouse Electric Company and Energoatom, the national nuclear power generating company of Ukraine, announced at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome on July 10 the signing of key new agreements that will allow for the deployment of full-scale manufacturing capacity in Ukraine for nuclear fuel components compatible with Westinghouse technologies.
This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine.
This cooperation is an important step towards increasing the safety and reliability of fuel supply for Ukraine's nuclear generation, thanks to the use of a single, fully Western supply of fuel for VVER reactors, the Ministry of Energy notes.
“This agreement is another strategic step on the path to Ukraine’s energy independence. The development of domestic production of fuel assemblies using Westinghouse technology not only increases the reliability of nuclear fuel supplies, but also eliminates dependence on Russian fuel chains once and for all,” said Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko. “Thanks to this cooperation, we are strengthening the energy security of Ukraine and all of Europe and building a future in which Ukrainian nuclear power will be firmly integrated into the Western market.”
Acting Chairman of the Board of JSC NNEGC Energoatom Petro Kotin and Managing Director and Senior Vice President of Westinghouse Electric Sweden AB Aziz Dag signed an important declaration in the presence of Minister German Galushchenko, confirming the agreement to establish a production line for the manufacture of VVER-1000 fuel assemblies at the site of the Energoatom subsidiary. It is expected that the final Agreement on the supply of the main production equipment will be signed in the near future.
Earlier this year, Westinghouse approved one of Energoatom's enterprises as a qualified supplier for the manufacture of Westinghouse's VVER-1000 fuel assembly components, paving the way for the creation of these advanced manufacturing facilities in Ukraine.
“We are proud to extend our strong partnership and shared commitment to Ukraine’s energy security,” said Aziz Dag. “Westinghouse has a strong track record in developing nuclear fuel for VVER reactors, used in Ukraine’s VVER-1000 and VVER-440 units, with over two decades of exceptional operational experience. Our world-class fuel assemblies are helping Ukraine and other countries reduce their dependence on Russian nuclear fuel supply chains and move toward a carbon-free future.”
Energoatom and Westinghouse have agreed to build nine AP1000®️ reactors in Ukraine. The AP1000 is a proven Generation III+ reactor with unique fully passive safety systems, standardized modular design, and leading operational flexibility.
As reported by "Ukrainian Energy", Ukraine and the IAEA have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in Energy Restoration. The IAEA will be the guarantor of safety during the completion of the construction of additional units at the Khmelnytskyi NPP.
