Ukraine Building 2 New Nuclear Reactors

Energoatom, Ukraine’s state-run nuclear energy company, will begin construction of two new nuclear reactors at the Khmelnitsky Nuclear Power Plant in southwestern Ukraine. Construction is expected to begin in 2010.

The new units, Khmelnitsky-3 and Khmelnitsky-4, are expected to be V-320 model, 1000 MWe VVER pressurized water reactors. The first of these units is expected to begin operations by the end of 2016.

Khmelnitsky-1 came online in 1987 and Khmelnitsky-2 on August 8, 2004. Currently, the Khmelnitsky facility produces around 6-7 billion KWh per year, or approximately 9% of Ukraine’s electricity.

Ukraine currently has 15 operational nuclear reactors at four facilities providing approximately 46.4% of the country’s electricity. Current total capacity is 13835 MWe.

Photo courtesy of Energoatom