Shmyhal backs fast-track construction of new units at Khmelnytskyi NPP

Ukraine’s newly appointed Minister of Energy, Denys Shmyhal, has voiced support for completing new reactor units at the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant (KhNPP), outlining his position to lawmakers ahead of his appointment.

"Nuclear power is clearly the backbone of our energy system and must be further developed. Khmelnytsky NPP is the site that is closest to completing new nuclear units, so my position as minister is to advance this project and complete construction as soon as possible," Shmyhal said.

State nuclear operator Energoatom plans to build two VVER-1000 reactor units and two more powerful units based on U.S.-designed AP1000 technology at KhNPP. The AP1000 units are expected to have a capacity of up to 1,200 MW each.

If these plans are implemented, the total installed capacity of the Khmelnytsky plant would exceed 6,000 MW, making it the largest nuclear power facility in Europe.

In February 2025, then–Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko estimated that completing the third and fourth units at Khmelnytsky NPP would cost Ukraine around UAH 160 billion. The final cost remains uncertain, as the most recent estimate dates back to 2018 and does not account for changes in exchange rates.

The VVER-1000 units intended for KhNPP-3 and KhNPP-4 were expected to be purchased from Bulgaria’s state-owned company EAD, but Bulgaria ultimately declined to proceed with the sale.

Construction of KhNPP-5 and KhNPP-6 using AP1000 technology has been delayed due to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.