Ukraine considers building small modular reactors in Chernobyl

Ukraine is looking for suitable sites for its small modular nuclear reactors, including in the exclusion zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. In addition to plans to build several conventional nuclear units, the country is also planning to cooperate with several modular reactor suppliers. The aim of deploying them is not only to move away from coal-fired power generation, but also to decarbonize Ukraine’s steel industry.

Representatives of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant are examining the potential for building small modular reactors (SMRs) at the site as part of an expert working group. The exclusion zone, which extends 30 kilometers around the plant that was the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, could be used in the future to host new reactors.

"Representatives of the State Agency of Ukraine for the Management of the Exclusion Zone and specialists from Ukrainian energy company Energoatom joined representatives of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant last month to visit several areas in the exclusion zone and around the plant. A technical discussion followed on the suitability of these sites for future SMR construction," the plant’s representatives said in a press release.

Like many other European countries, Ukraine is planning to build small modular reactors. State-owned energy company Energoatom has already signed memoranda of cooperation with a number of small reactor developers: Witkowitz Atomica, Holtec International, Westinghouse Electric Company and NuScale Power.

Major expansion of nuclear power in Ukraine

Ukraine has almost 14 GW of installed capacity across four nuclear power plants. Of this, 6 GW is at Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, which is currently under Russian military control.

The country has agreed with the United States on further developing its nuclear power sector, and all nuclear power plants except Zaporizhzhia are to be expanded with AP1000 units from Westinghouse. Ukraine could build nine more in total, with nearly 10 GW of installed capacity.

In addition to large conventional units, the country is also planning dozens of small modular reactors. These will help it transition to electricity generation without coal-fired power plants and decarbonize energy-intensive industry.