Energoatom, Ukraine's nuclear power plant operator, has started preparatory work on a project to build two power units using Westinghouse AP1000 technology at the South Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant, where three VVER-1000 power units currently operate with a total capacity of 3,000 MW, Ukrainian media reported, citing a statement from the company.
"Considering Ukraine's urgent need for modern reliable generation and the long construction cycle, we must begin this process today, conduct an engineering survey and pre-design work, and do the necessary calculations, etc.," acting Director and Chairman of the Board of Energoatom Petr Kotin said during a working visit to the South Ukrainian NPP.
In accordance with Ukraine's energy strategy through 2050, the country needs to generate 24 GW of nuclear power (it currently generates 7.8 GW), he said.
The company is paying for the preparatory work and all expenses related to the construction of the nuclear power units, the statement said.
As reported, Energoatom and Westinghouse began implementing the project for the construction of the fifth and sixth units of the Khmelnytsky NPP (Khmelnitsky NPP-5 and KhNPP-6) in April 2024 using AP1000 technology.
Energoatom and Westinghouse signed a memorandum in the fall of 2021 on the construction of five nuclear power units in Ukraine, and in the summer of 2022, an agreement to increase the number of nuclear units using AP1000 technology to nine and to create a Westinghouse engineering and technical center in the country.
After the country abandoned the use of Russian nuclear fuel, Westinghouse became the only supplier of fuel assemblies for Ukraine's nuclear power plants.
Energoatom manages the operation of the Rivne (four units with a total capacity of 2.835 GW), Khmelnitsky (two units with a total capacity of 2 GW) and South Ukrainian (three units of 1 GW each) nuclear power plants.
