Westinghouse certifies Ukrainian company as nuclear fuel component supplier
Westinghouse Electric Company has recognized Energoatom's subsidiary "Atomenergomash" as a qualified and approved supplier of nuclear fuel components (fuel assemblies) for VVER reactors. This was announced by Energoatom's press service on Friday, May 9.
Atomenergomash has received an official certificate from Westinghouse Electric Sweden AB confirming that its quality management system meets Westinghouse requirements.
The qualification of Atomenergomash remains valid until April 29, 2028.
Petro Kotin, Acting Director General of Energoatom, emphasized that this represents a significant step toward manufacturing fuel assemblies in Ukraine.
Previously, Energoatom had already received a license from Westinghouse to manufacture fuel assembly bottom nozzles in Ukraine.
The fuel assembly plant will be constructed in the Mykolaiv region, near the satellite city of the South Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant.
Energoatom is establishing its own nuclear fuel production line. The first Ukrainian fuel assembly is scheduled to be loaded into a reactor unit as early as 2027.
In the future, Energoatom plans to meet half of its nuclear fuel requirements through domestic production, with the remaining half supplied by Westinghouse partners.
- Ukraine has been using Westinghouse fuel assemblies in VVER-1000 reactors since 2015.
- On June 2, 2022, Energoatom and Westinghouse signed an agreement to supply nuclear fuel to all nuclear power plants in Ukraine.
- In early March 2024, the first batches of Westinghouse nuclear fuel were delivered to the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant. It was the last Ukrainian plant to begin transitioning to American nuclear fuel.