Ukraine is building the largest nuclear power plant in Europe

2024-09-03 17:25:42, Kosova & Bota CNA

Russian bombing has destroyed about 50% of Ukraine's electricity generation capacity since late March, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. As Voice of America correspondent Tetiana Kukurika reports, Ukraine has turned to the American energy company, Westinghouse, asking for help in the development of next-generation nuclear reactors to meet electricity needs.

Before Russia's aggression in 2022, nuclear power met half of Ukraine's needs, and Kiev depended on Moscow only for nuclear fuel and services.

The war ended trade between the two countries. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that since the end of March, Russian attacks had destroyed about half of the country's ability to generate electricity.

"The situation of Ukraine's energy resources has changed dramatically since the seizure of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the seizure of almost a third of the green energy infrastructure and the destruction of a large part of the thermal energy production capabilities," says Stanislav Ignatiev with the Ukrainian Renewable Energy Association.

At the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant in western Ukraine, workers are building two new nuclear reactors with the help of US energy giant Westinghouse. VOA spoke with Andriy KozyUra, general director of the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant.

"The nuclear power plant area is ready for construction, as other processes for territory planning, logistics and the interconnection system have been completed."

The American company Westinghouse has been operating in Ukraine for several decades. But since the Russian invasion, cooperation has intensified, and the American firm has helped bypass the Russian company Rosatom, says Ukraine's Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko.

"Before the start of the war we found diverse sources of fuel supply. Together we have produced fuel for several nuclear reactors, eliminating Rosatom's monopoly on the market. We have big and joint plans for the future".

The firms Westinghouse and Energoatom agreed in 2022 on the construction in Ukraine of nine new nuclear reactors, based on American technology.

"The latest and most modern technology, the safest technology with additional security measures," says Petro Kotin, head of the Ukrainian firm Energoatom.

A nuclear reactor takes five years to build and costs five billion dollars.

"Construction is a long process. But the supply of energy obtained from gas plants, solar wind and bioenergy - this is something that can be implemented in the short term and will help during the winter season", says Stephan Kushnir, head of the board of the nuclear plant.

The Khmelnytskyi plant will replace Zaporizhzhia, becoming the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, according to the "Kyiv Independent" newspaper./ VOA