Nuclear technology firm Westinghouse Electric Co. is reaffirming its faith in the future of Ukraine.
The U.S. company announced an expansion of its agreement to supply the Ukrainian installed nuclear power fleet and eventually increase that commitment. Westinghouse and state-owned nuclear utility Energoatom also will collaborate on an engineering center to support future development of the baseload, carbon-free generation resource.
This all comes even as Ukraine continues to fight Russia after the latter’s invasion and occupation in the eastern part of the European nation.
“Even during this challenging time, we continue to work actively with Westinghouse, our strategic partner,” Petro Kotin, President of SE NNEGC Energoatom, said in a statement. “We will expand the areas and scope of cooperation and are confident that together, we will not only write a new chapter in the history of Ukraine's nuclear energy, but also make an important contribution to the energy independence of Europe.”
Nuclear energy supplies more than 20 percent of Ukraine’s electricity generation mix. The nation operates four power plants with 15 reactors in various regions. Russia attempted a takeover of the Ukrainian system with its February invasion, but failed and fell back to focus on eastern sections and southern ports.
Westinghouse will supply all nuclear fuel for the Energoatom operating fleet in Ukraine and increase the number of Westinghouse-built AP1000 reactors in plants Energoatom intends to build from five to nine units. The two companies also affirmed their intention to establish a Westinghouse Engineering Center in Ukraine to support the planned AP1000 reactor projects, as well as Energoatom’s operating fleet and future decommissioning program.
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Energoatom’s Kotin and Patrick Fragman, CEO of Westinghouse, signed the agreements at the Khmelnytskyi NPP (KhNPP) site where the first two AP1000 reactors will be constructed.
“Westinghouse is proud to sign these agreements to fully support Ukraine’s current operating fleet with our industry-leading fuels and services and to increase the number of committed new AP1000 plants from five to nine,” Fragman said. “We greatly value our long-standing partnership with Energoatom and look forward to the work ahead to help advance Ukraine’s carbon-free future.”
The fuel will be supplied out of Westinghouse’s fabrication site in Västerås, Sweden, with continued localization of fuel assembly component production in Ukraine. Atomenergomash, a subdivision of Energoatom, is currently completing qualification to manufacture top and bottom nozzles for Westinghouse fuel.
Aside from offering an option to Russian natural gas, nuclear energy provides the baseload, zero-carbon electricity alternative to coal-fired power. In the U.S., nuclear reactors generate about 20 percent of the nation’s electricity and more than half of its zero-carbon electricity generation.
The U.S. government has been directly supporting Ukraine’s resistance against the Russia invasion, supplying billions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid.
