Energoatom unveils plans to build small nuclear reactors across Ukraine amid Russian attacks
The initiative aims to decentralize power generation while addressing the challenges of wartime resilience.
Ukraine aims to construct ten small modular reactors by 2050, adding up to 3,000 MW of capacity to its energy system, said Petro Kotin, the head of Energoatom, the state enterprise operating all four nuclear power plants in the country, according to Espreso.
Previously, Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the former head of the state-owned electricity transmission system operator Ukrenergo, emphasized the urgent need to develop distributed energy facilities amid Russian missile and drone attacks. He warned that a strike on a large energy facility could leave many consumers without power, whereas multiple smaller facilities would be harder to disable.
“We see both the opportunities and the need for small modular reactors with a combined capacity of up to 3,000 MW,” Kotin said, adding that Ukraine will need to build ten such facilities.
Energoatom has already established agreements with leading small modular reactor developers, including Holtec International.
Kotin noted that numerous companies worldwide are working on small modular reactor technologies, indicating significant progress in nuclear advancements. However, he acknowledged the uncertainties surrounding their protection during the war. Developers claim these reactors are safer and smaller than traditional nuclear reactors and capable of functioning in areas without power grids.
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