Representatives from the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Economy, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, the State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety (SSTC NRS), as well as major Ukrainian energy companies participated in a series of initial meetings as part of the U.S. Department of State's program "Core Infrastructure for the Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technologies" (SMR), which took place last week in Krakow, Poland.
As reported on the SSTC NRS website, the program includes the implementation of three interconnected projects: Clean Fuels, Clean Steel, and Phoenix.
"The implementation of the 'Clean Steel' and 'Phoenix' projects is extremely important and timely for Ukraine, especially given the ongoing attacks by the Russian Federation on our country's energy infrastructure. These projects involve a comprehensive analysis of the energy system's condition, as well as technical and economic studies to assess and select optimal sites and SMR technologies," noted Alexander Pecheritsa, Deputy Director for Scientific and International Activities at SSTC NRS, who participated in the discussions.
He emphasized that the outcome will be the creation of roadmaps, followed by the implementation of practical cases that will promote the introduction of clean energy production and the decarbonization of the metallurgical sector in Ukraine.
At SSTC NRS, it was specifically explained that the primary goal of the Clean Steel project is to develop a roadmap for the restoration, modernization, and decarbonization of the metallurgical sector in Ukraine using SMR technologies.
"We will provide expert and advisory support to the American side on various regulatory and technical aspects. At the same time, we will work on adapting best practices in comprehensive safety assessments and economic issues related to the implementation of the latest technologies," the Deputy Director reported.
Representatives from the U.S. Department of State, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the Argonne National Laboratory, the consulting engineering and project implementation firm Hatch, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers also participated in the discussions regarding the Clean Steel project.
The participants agreed that the American side would be responsible for developing the roadmap project, which would then be sent to Ukrainian specialists for further refinement.
"The second project discussed during the initial meetings is Phoenix. Its primary goal is to provide technical support to facilitate the replacement of coal-fired power plants with modern and environmentally friendly SMRs," reported SSTC NRS.
The project consists of three main phases: "Initiation and Detail Agreement," "Data Collection," and "Technical and Economic Justification and Thematic Studies." SSTC NRS will participate in each of them.
Particular attention was given during the discussions to justifying site selection and determining the sizes of emergency planning zones around nuclear facilities.
During the meetings, a representative of PJSC "Centerenergo" stated that the Tripoli TPP in the Kyiv region could be a potential site for the Phoenix project. According to preliminary assessments by NAEK "Energoatom" and NEC "Ukrenergo," 12 potential sites have been identified for the placement of SMRs in Ukraine.