Westinghouse Electric Company and Energoatom, the state-owned nuclear utility of Ukraine, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development and deployment of the AP300 Small Modular Reactor (SMR). The agreement establishes a joint working group to collaborate on areas such as contracting, licensing and the local supply chain.
Ukraine is pursuing carbon neutrality of its energy sector by 2050 and plans to develop modern and safe nuclear generation based on the latest advanced technologies.
The Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Galushchenko emphasized that the technology of small modular reactors is very promising for Ukraine, especially in terms of implementation of the national Energy Strategy until 2050.
“Ukraine has every prospect of becoming one of the leaders in clean energy and increasing nuclear generation capacity both through the construction of new large power units and deployment of small modular reactors with first units expected within the next ten years,” he added and noted that localization of manufacturing is one of the important components of these agreements, as Ukraine boasts some of the most experienced nuclear experts in the world.
“Energoatom keeps working on new projects of advanced nuclear technologies, on which the energy security of Ukraine depends on in this challenging time. The company is doing its utmost to ensure that our country continues to move towards a carbon-free and clean future with nuclear energy as its integral part,” President of SE NNEGC “Energoatom“ Petro Kotin stressed. He added that increasing the total capacity of nuclear generation is vital for Ukraine as well. That is why the construction of new power units has become part of the Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2050.
“Westinghouse is pleased to support the Ukrainian people and Energoatom with clean, reliable and secure energy,” said Patrick Fragman, President and CEO of Westinghouse. “From nuclear fuel to plant services to electricity generation, Westinghouse is honored to be a trusted partner for Ukraine today and for decades to come. The AP300 SMR is the only SMR being developed which fully leverages the design, licensing pedigree, supply chain and exceptional record of the AP1000© design already in operation in five plants around the world, and another seven units at different stages of construction and commission.”
In May, Westinghouse launched the AP300 small modular reactor, a 300-MWe single-loop pressurized water reactor that is the only SMR based on an Nth-of-a-kind operating reactor, the proven and licensed AP1000 technology. Westinghouse is targeting design certification for the AP300 SMR by 2027 and for construction to begin by 2030. The first operating unit is planned to be available in the early 2030s. Energoatom and Westinghouse have already agreed to deploy nine AP1000 units in Ukraine.
