Westinghouse Electric Company and NAEK Energoatom announced at the Ukraine Recovery Conference the signing of key new agreements that will enable the deployment of full-scale production capacities in Ukraine for manufacturing nuclear fuel components compatible with Westinghouse technologies.
This cooperation is an important step toward enhancing the safety and reliability of fuel supply for Ukraine’s nuclear power generation, thanks to using a fully Western fuel supply solution for VVER reactors.
“This agreement is another strategic step toward Ukraine’s energy independence. Developing domestic production of fuel assemblies using Westinghouse technology not only increases the reliability of nuclear fuel supply but also permanently eliminates dependence on Russian fuel supply chains,” said Ukraine’s Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko. “Thanks to this cooperation, we strengthen the energy security of Ukraine and all of Europe and build a future in which Ukrainian nuclear energy will be firmly integrated into the Western market.”
Acting CEO of NAEK 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 Herman Halushchenko, confirming the agreement to create a production line for manufacturing VVER-1000 fuel assemblies at a subsidiary site of Energoatom. It is expected that the final agreement on the supply of main production equipment will be signed soon.
Earlier this year, Westinghouse approved one of Energoatom’s enterprises as a qualified supplier for manufacturing VVER-1000 fuel assembly components for Westinghouse, opening the way for establishing these advanced manufacturing facilities in Ukraine.
“We are proud to expand our strong partnership and joint commitment to Ukraine’s energy security,” said Aziz Dag. “Westinghouse has excellent experience developing nuclear fuel for VVER reactors used at VVER-1000 and VVER-440 power units in Ukraine, with over twenty years of exceptional operational experience. Our top-class fuel assemblies help Ukraine and other countries reduce dependence on Russian nuclear fuel supply chains and move toward a carbon-free future.”
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“We continue our inevitable path to creating our own nuclear fuel assembly line in Ukraine by implementing Westinghouse’s advanced technologies. I am very grateful to our partners for the trust built over years of successful cooperation. Step by step, Energoatom is moving toward becoming a nuclear energy hub in Eastern Europe,” said Petro Kotin, head of NAEK Energoatom.
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 indicators.
