Energoatom, Westinghouse upgrading VVER-440 reactor cooling systems

MOSCOW. June 14 (Interfax) - Ukraine's Energoatom and Westinghouse of the United States have signed a contract to design, manufacture and deliver Long-Term Containment Cooling Systems for the modernization of two VVER-440 power units at a Ukrainian nuclear power plants, Ukrainian media reported, citing a press release by the Ukrainian company.

Westinghouse has developed the Long-Term Containment Cooling System, which "will enhance the safety of Soviet-era VVER-440 reactors," it said.

Reports have said Energoatom plans to launch commercial production of nuclear fuel components using Westinghouse technology in 2023, and, in time, production of fuel for VVER-440 reactors. These components will be used at the Westinghouse enterprise in Vasteras, Sweden to produce nuclear fuel used by Energoatom's nuclear power plants. The next step is to launch the production of fuel assembly racks and a Ukrainian-made nuclear fuel assembly line.

"It is planned that in three years we will reach the full cycle of nuclear fuel production in Ukraine - 2026 is the date when we will be able to fully produce our Ukrainian fuel from components manufactured here. And we will purchase elements that we cannot produce from partners," Energoatom President Pyotr Kotin has been quoted as saying.

Regarding the production of nuclear fuel for VVER-440 reactors, which was previously produced only by Russia, Kostin said Ukrainian specialists were now working at Vasteras together with the strategic partner, Westinghouse.

Energoatom said in March 2022 that it would no longer buy any nuclear fuel produced in Russia.