Westinghouse Electric Company and Ukrainian company NT-Engineering LLC have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to implement maintenance optimisation and system repair projects for VVER reactors. They said the work will increase the safety levels and performance of Ukrainian VVERs, improving annual power output and reducing operational costs.

Completion of unit 4 of the Khmelnitsky nuclear power plant in Ukraine will be accelerated by the use of major plant components in storage since the construction of new reactors at VC Summer in the USA was cancelled. The head of Energoatom toured Westinghouse warehouses to inspect the condition of the AP1000 components.

Energoatom of Ukraine will explore the possible deployment of NuScale small modular reactors to replace fossil fuel plants, according to a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the companies. It is the latest in a series of agreements on energy signed during the visit of a Ukrainian delegation to the USA.

Ukraine and the USA have agreed to "deepen and intensify" their strategic cooperation in energy. Nuclear power leads a suite of agreements with a project to complete Khmelnitsky unit 4, followed up with four new AP1000 units at a total value of USD30 billion.

The first stage of Ukraine's Central Spent Fuel Storage Facility is ready for operation, Energoatom has announced, citing an approval from the Architectural and Construction Inspectorate of Ukraine.

Optimisation work at unit 2 of the Zaporozhe nuclear power plant in Ukraine could lead to the addition of 1000 MW of generation capacity if it is also conducted at the country's other reactors, according to the US Department of Energy. The DOE has been working with Argonne National Laboratory and Ukraine's NT-Engineering to help nuclear power plant operator Energoatom enhance its approach to maintenance.

Ukrainian nuclear power plant operator Energoatom and the Organisation of Canadian Nuclear Industries yesterday signed a Letter of Intent for further cooperation, which formalises previous agreements on the implementation of joint projects with Canadian companies in the nuclear energy sector. It followed the first meeting of Energoatom and OCNI representatives that took place on 4 February.
 

Westinghouse and Energoatom have signed a VVER-440 fuel supply contract fuel for the Rovno nuclear power plant in Ukraine. The contract - for the development and delivery of licensing documentation - was signed yesterday by Energoatom Acting President Petro Kotin and Westinghouse Vice President and Managing Director Northern and Eastern Europe Aziz Dag, at the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, in the presence of Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko.

Ukrainian nuclear power plant operator Energoatom told ambassadors of the Group of Seven and the head of the EU mission in Ukraine that it has "made significant progress" with its strategy to diversify its sources of nuclear fuel. During their meeting on 2 June, the state-run company described the issues it faces related to its 'corporatisation', including 'discrimination' in the wholesale electricity market, as well as the safety and upgrade work at its reactor units.

Ukraine's nuclear regulator has issued a permit to SSE Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant for the retrieval of undamaged used nuclear fuel from the ISF-1 interim used fuel wet storage facility. The fuel will be moved into the new ISF-2 dry storage facility. The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine has also issued a licence for the operation of the Liquid Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant at the Chernobyl site.

Ukrainian nuclear power plant operator Energoatom and the country's transmission system operator Ukrenergo completed tests last week at unit 1 of the Zaporozhe nuclear power plant for the provision of ancillary frequency maintenance reserve services at +/-20 MW. The tests should confirm the compliance of the unit with the requirements of the Transmission System Code in order to obtain a certificate entitling Energoatom to introduce the power unit to the ancillary services market.

Ukrainian nuclear power plant operator Energoatom has called on lawmakers to repeal a resolution recently passed by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and restore the previous Public Service Obligation mechanism in the country's electricity market until the end of June. Parliamentarians should "analyse in detail", the state-run company said, "who, how and in whose favour" Resolution 439 had been prepared, since it "harms" state-owned energy-generating companies.