Ukraine rejects supplies of spare parts for nuclear reactors from Russia

MOSCOW. Dec 8 (Interfax) - Ukraine has fully rejected supplies of spare parts for nuclear reactors from Russia and was able to replace them with its own production or production in its partner states, Pyotr Kotin, the president of the Energoatom national nuclear energy generating company, said.

Since the beginning of the crisis, "we have fully rejected supplies from this country and replaced them with our own production or production in our partner countries," Ukrainian media outlets quoted him as saying on the United News national telethon on Thursday.

"Here's one example, liners for VVER-440 reactors which were manufactured only in Russia. Together with our American partner Westinghouse, we have broken Russia's monopoly on production of fuel for such reactors, but, besides that, liners are also needed. And we are now able to produce them," Kotin said.

Additionally, Ukraine is on the way of the development of small modular reactors (SMR), and it is also linked with the concept of creating a Ukrainian nuclear technologies hub, a goal of Energoatom, he said.

"We are closely following SMR technologies of all leading companies, we have signed memorandums with many of them, and we are planning to sign contracts for the construction of plants manufacturing component parts for such reactors in Ukraine," he said.

SMRs are a promising direction, and, in time, the nuclear technologies hub "will supply both power and electricity, both equipment and component parts for small modular reactors to other countries," Kotin said.

As reported, in April 2023, Energoatom and Holtec signed an agreement on the construction of a plant to manufacture SMR component parts. The document declared plans to install up to 20 SMRs in Ukraine.

In September 2023, Ukraine loaded Westinghouse's nuclear fuel into a VVER-440 reactor at the Rovno Nuclear Power Plant for the first time. The fuel made in the United States will operate in the active zone of the reactor together with the Russian one, subsequently replacing it completely in the future.