Westinghouse Delivers First VVER-440 Fuel Assemblies to Energoatom

Event Celebrates Historic Fuel Load at Rivne NPP

Västerås, SWEDEN – September 12, 2023 –Westinghouse Electric Company announced that it delivered its first reload batch of VVER-440 fuel assemblies to Energoatom, the state-owned nuclear utility of Ukraine. Ukrainian Minister of Energy German Galushchenko, Swedish Ambassador to Ukraine Martin Åberg, Energoatom and Westinghouse leadership witnessed the fuel load into the reactor core at Rivne NPP.

This important milestone follows a thorough licensing process and a record-setting development program at the company’s fuel fabrication facility in Sweden. This delivery strengthens the strategic partnership between Westinghouse and Energoatom that includes supplying all VVER nuclear fuel for the country’s operating reactor fleet and collaborating on the deployment of nine new AP1000® reactors in Ukraine.

“The greatness of this day is the end of the Russian monopoly in this segment of the nuclear fuel market. This will pave the way for not only Ukraine, but the whole region, to achieve true nuclear energy independence,” said the Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Galushchenko during the celebrations dedicated to the event. “The fact that we were able to do this so quickly is a great success and a significant basis for our continued cooperation with Westinghouse, which is just expanding. This is a big day for the Ukrainian energy industry, as well as for our cooperation with the U.S. and Sweden, where the production factory is located,” said the Minister, thanking the professionals of the nuclear industry, who have worked in Sweden, Ukraine and the U.S. on the project.

“Today, Energoatom is the only power generating company in the world operating Soviet-designed reactors, which was able to implement a nuclear fuel diversification project for VVER-1000 reactors. The transfer of Swedish-manufactured Westinghouse fuel to industrial operation on VVER-440 reactor units is an unprecedented event. It proves that this fuel could be used by other countries with nuclear power plants using similar technologies. Ukraine is an example and a model for other countries on how to end the dependence on Russian nuclear fuel,” said President of SE NNEGC “Energoatom” Petro Kotin.

“In this challenging environment, our teams are fully mobilized to ensure fuel diversification and supply of safe and highly performing fuel to our customers. We are building on our long-standing and strong partnership with Energoatom and Ukraine and will continue to provide vital energy security to Ukraine,” said Patrick Fragman, President and CEO of Westinghouse. “This first delivery is a major achievement, and we are proud to deliver a fully licensed and tested product in record time, after a record-breaking development and manufacturing process set-up in our Swedish factory.”

Leveraging its experience in delivering VVER-440 fuel for the Loviisa NPP in Finland from 2001 to 2007, Westinghouse recently signed agreements with Fortum (Finland), CEZ (Czech Republic), and Slovenské elektrárne (Slovakia). Westinghouse designs and fabricates the only fully European VVER fuel offering at its facility in Västerås, Sweden.

Westinghouse is a leading supplier of nuclear fuel, providing a uniquely diversified portfolio in the industry across nuclear reactor types, including PWR, BWR, AGR, and VVER. Through our world-class manufacturing facilities in Sweden, the U.K., and the U.S., we focus on delivering innovative fuel technologies to meet our customers’ needs for lower fuel-cycle costs, increased operational flexibility and efficiency, diversity of supply, and accident-tolerant products. Learn more about our advanced fuel capabilities and how they relate to different reactors around the world.

Header image caption: Leaders with the Ukrainian government, Energoatom and Westinghouse gathered Sunday for the fuel load at Rivne Nuclear Power Plant in northern Ukraine. - Courtesy of Energoatom