United States / Ukraine Westinghouse is to supply a fuel reload to the South Ukraine VVER-1000 NPP; the first Western fuel to be burnt in a Russian designed reactor. Westinghouse has supplied Temelin in the Czech Republic, but the plant is not operational.
The US and Ukrainian governments signed a nuclear cooperation agreement last year, requiring Westinghouse to provide fuel technology transfer, lead test facilities and a fuel reload.
Charles Pryor president and chief executive officer of Westinghouse has said the programme will benefit all parties.
“Ukraine will benefit because it will have another qualified supplier from which to purchase fuel reloads for South Ukraine Unit 3 and the ten other VVER 1000 nuclear units now operating there,” he said. “Perhaps more importantly, though, the transfer of Western technology will help Ukraine improve their proficiency in performing all of the analyses necessary to specify, design and licence fuel for the VVER 1000 power plants.
“Westinghouse will benefit in that the agreement will give us technical experience that will facilitate additional VVER fuel business throughout Central and Eastern Europe.”
