Small modular reactors: Ukraine and the U.S. launch a two-year project to produce clean energy

Ukraine, in partnership with the United States, as well as Japan and the Republic of Korea, will take part in a public-private consortium for scientific and practical developments in the field of small modular reactors.

This was announced by Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Galushchenko on his Facebook page.

“Even during the war, we do not stop modeling the new energy future of Ukraine. Carbon-free energy is one of the main focuses of the world in technological development. Of course, Ukraine, with our experience and potential in nuclear energy, will also actively participate in the implementation of the global agenda,” he said.

The project, which envisages establishment of a public-private consortium for scientific and practical developments in the field of small modular reactors, was announced by the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry at the UN COP27 Climate Change Conference.

The project implementation period is expected to last 2-3 years. The participants will include both leading companies of the nuclear industry and research institutions.

In particular, NuScale, FuelCell Energy, Clark Seed, Argone National Laboratory will participate from the United States, and Energoatom and the State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety will participate from Ukraine. Besides, Doosan Enerbility, IHI Corporation, JGC Corporation, Samsung C&T, and Starfire Energy will also participate.

The project is intended to evaluate and demonstrate the technical capability, economic competitiveness, and possibility of producing and using hydrogen and ammonia on an industrial scale with the use of small modular reactors to produce clean carbon-free energy.

For this purpose, it is planned to create a pilot plant and conduct an appropriate technical and economic analysis of its operation.

“The achievements of the international public-private consortium, among other things, will be used to develop, after our victory, a new energy system of Ukraine and will accelerate our “green transition”, said German Galushchenko.

This project will be a continuation of the Ukrainian-American partnership in the field of technologies for small modular reactors and confirms Ukraine’s ability to take its rightful place among the innovative leaders in the field of clean carbon-free energy in the world, the Minister added.