President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has revealed that Russian bombing has devastated approximately 50% of Ukraine’s electricity generation capacity since late March. In response to this severe energy crisis, Ukraine has turned to the American energy company Westinghouse for support in developing next-generation nuclear reactors to address its electricity needs. Before the Russian invasion in 2022, nuclear power had supplied half of Ukraine’s electricity, with the country relying on Russia solely for nuclear fuel and services—a dependency that was severed by the war.
Stanislav Ignatiev from the Ukrainian Renewable Energy Association explained the significant impact of the conflict on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. He noted that the seizure of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the capture of nearly a third of green energy assets, and extensive damage to thermal energy production have dramatically altered the energy landscape.
At the Khmelnytskyi nuclear power plant in western Ukraine, construction is underway for two new nuclear reactors with assistance from Westinghouse. Andriy Kozyura, the plant’s general director, reported that the construction site is prepared, with planning, logistics, and interconnection systems in place.
Westinghouse, a longstanding partner in Ukraine, has ramped up its collaboration since the invasion, helping Ukraine to bypass Russian company Rosatom. According to Ukraine’s Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, this partnership has diversified Ukraine’s fuel sources and reduced dependency on Rosatom. “We have developed fuel for several reactors and are planning significant future projects together,” Halushchenko said.
In 2022, Westinghouse and Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-owned nuclear energy company, agreed on a plan to build nine new nuclear reactors in Ukraine using American technology. Petro Kotin, Energoatom’s head, emphasized that these reactors will feature the latest safety technologies and security measures.
Despite the long construction time—approximately five years and a cost of around $5 billion—Stephan Kushnir, head of the board at Khmelnytskyi, noted that short-term solutions such as gas plants, solar, wind, and bioenergy are crucial for immediate relief, especially as winter approaches.
Once completed, the Khmelnytskyi plant will surpass Zaporizhzhia, becoming Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, according to “The Kyiv Independent.”
