In 2024, construction of four more units at Khmelnytskyi NPP is planned to start, two of them using modern American AP1000 technology. After the new units are built, the NPP will have the largest capacity among European nuclear power plants, said the Minister of Energy of Ukraine, German Galushchenko.
The minister said that the construction of the 3rd and 4th units at the Khmelnytskyi NPP had been planned for a long time, and the readiness of the 3rd unit was quite high to date.
"We can see this as a mechanism to compensate for the capacities of the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP. We understand that we will definitely have this plant back; it is a matter of time. Another question is in what condition we will have it back and whether we will manage to put it into operation immediately," he pointed out.
He said that the Ukrainian side was working closely with the US-based Westinghouse on two projects: the construction of VVER-1000 units 3 and 4, as well as the construction of two more AP1000 reactors.
He emphasized that AP1000 is a technology that has never been used in Ukraine or Europe before. This is an American type of reactor and a very powerful technology that, in particular, provides for new approaches to safety. For example, if, in the event of a power outage, the reactor is forced to switch to backup power and the diesel generator is also damaged, then even in this case, the AP1000 can operate for 72 hours without any risk of accidents. These reactors will use technology and equipment provided by Westinghouse, a leading American vendor on the nuclear energy market. This choice marks the strengthened cooperation between Ukraine and Western countries in nuclear energy.
According to the minister, the construction of new reactors will take time, and the 3rd unit of the Khmelnytskyi NPP could be commissioned as soon as possible, in about 2.5 years.
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