Khmelnytsky NPP will become more powerful thanks to two new power units based on American technology
Khmelnytsky NPP started construction of power units 5 and 6 using Westinghouse’s AR1000 technology.
As noted, a feature of Westinghouse’s AR1000 technology is the ability to maneuver the units, which is important for Ukraine, as the Russians are destroying the balancing capacities of the Ukrainian energy sector.
Thus, the fifth power unit at Khmelnytsky NPP will be the first in Ukraine to be built using the American AR1000 technology.
This is a major geopolitical project of common interest to Ukraine and the United States. The technologies that we will build and develop together will push the Russians out of the European nuclear energy market,” said Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko.
These units at Khmelnytsky NPP will be the first of nine to be built in Ukraine jointly with Westinghouse using AR1000 technology.
This year, Ukraine plans to start construction of four new nuclear reactors to compensate for the energy capacity lost due to the full-scale war with Russia. All four reactors will be built at Khmelnytsky NPP.
The head of Energoatom, Petro Kotin, said that after the construction of new power units at Khmelnytsky NPP is completed, the plant’s capacity will exceed that of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya NPP.
What is known about Russia’s attack on the Ukrainian energy sector?
During a massive shelling of Ukraine on the night of April 11, Russians completely destroyed the Trypillia thermal power plant in Ukrainka, Kyiv region. Centrenergo lost 100% of its generation. It includes:
- Zmiivska TPP in Kharkiv region
- Trypillia TPP in Kyiv region
- Vuhlehirska TPP in Donetsk Oblast
On March 22, the Russian occupiers launched the largest combined attack on the Ukrainian energy system since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. There was a blackout in Kharkiv.
Among other things, the occupiers attacked the Dnipro hydroelectric power plant, but there is no threat of a dam breach. Both stations that are part of DniproHES (HPP-1 and HPP-2) have stopped working, while HPP-2 has been critically damaged.
On the night of March 29, Russia launched a large-scale missile strike against Ukraine’s fuel and energy sector. It damaged the energy infrastructure in Dnipropetrovs’k, Vinnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Cherkasy and Chernivtsi regions. The occupiers also targeted the Kaniv and Dniester hydroelectric power plants located in Cherkasy and Chernivtsi regions.
According to the Center for Energy Studies, in July-August, we can expect severe restrictions for consumers after the latest attacks on the energy sector.
