Read in Ukrainian
On February 7, within the framework of the ZPP project "Europe-Poland-Ukraine. Rebuilding Together. 2023", the 2nd discussion in the series "Energy in the context of Ukraine's recovery" entitled: "Nuclear Energy - Ukraine's Experience for Poland". The purpose of the discussion was to illustrate the current state of Ukrainian nuclear energy and plans in this area for the coming years. Ivan Grygoruk, Vice President of Energy Club, participated in the discussion.
Fragments of the speech:
- How do you see the future of the Ukrainian nuclear industry? I mean both the target energy balance of Ukraine and the situation with demand - many enterprises and consumers have suffered because of the war. Until the economy recovers, the demand for energy in Ukraine may be much lower. How do you assess this?
- In order to answer your question comprehensively, I must say that before the full-scale war, there was a surplus of installed generating capacities in Ukraine, including renewable energy sources (RES), in line with the existing demand for electricity consumption, which in the best years reached 19-20 GWh, and during the pandemic was somewhere around 15.5 GWh.
As for the energy balance, before the war, the share of nuclear generation in the electricity generation structure ranged from 50 to 60%. For this purpose, four nuclear power plants (NPPs) operated in Ukraine, generating electricity using 13 VVER-1000 and 2 VVER-440 nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 13.8 GW. The remaining 40% of the 100% of electricity generated in Ukraine was distributed among other types of power plants - hydroelectric power plants, pumped storage power plants, thermal power plants, CHP plants and renewable energy sources. This, in short, was the energy mix before the war in Ukraine.
Now, electricity generation and consumption have significantly decreased as a result of Russia's military aggression. Today, we have large-scale destruction or damage to the energy infrastructure, temporary occupation of Ukrainian power plants, including Zaporizhzhya NPP, by Russian terrorists. We know that the operation of the seized power plants grossly violates all safety rules, which together are likely to lead to a global man-made disaster and severe consequences for the whole of Europe and half of the world.
Now, let's return to the post-war restoration of the energy infrastructure as a component of the national economy of the Ukrainian state, which is a potential member of the European Union (EU), and to the forecast of a significant increase in demand for electricity consumption by various industries.
Here's an example: due to the 2020-2022 pandemic and Russia's war against Ukraine, prices for gas, oil, refined products, electricity, etc. have increased significantly worldwide. The production of products in the EU industry is becoming very expensive due to the significant rise in energy prices and environmental requirements.
Modernization of production facilities at existing plants always involves limiting production or suspending production altogether, which carries the risk of significant losses in the competitive global market and financial losses.
Thus, there is a factor of the need to relocate production facilities to the Republic of Poland, Romania or Hungary, the Balkan countries, and possibly to transfer some industrial capacities to Ukraine, because we have everything for this, from infrastructure to human capital. In addition, even today, during the war, many domestic industrial enterprises managed to relocate their production to the central and western regions of Ukraine, and this trend will only grow in the postwar period. So, I believe that the volume of electricity consumption after the war will not only return to the pre-war level, but will also grow by about 30% at least.
- In January, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the start of construction of two AP 1000 reactors. The units will be installed at Khmelnytsky NPP. The supplier is to be Westinghouse. Ukraine has ambitious plans to expand its nuclear industry, with plans to build 9 new AP1000 units in the country. How do you perceive this news?
- I have a positive reaction to this news for two reasons. The first reason is more political - it is independence through the diversification of supplies and technologies of nuclear fuel use at our NPPs.
Realizing the absolute dependence on Russia in the nuclear industry and the great risks associated with it, Ukraine held negotiations with General Atomics from the United States in 1992 and with Westinghouse in 1993. Based on their results, in 1994 it was decided to form a protocol of intent on cooperation with Westinghouse. This landmark event actually launched a program to convert nuclear power plants using Russian nuclear fuel to new modifications of nuclear fuel based on Westinghouse technology.
Further, in 2005, Westinghouse nuclear fuel was first loaded into the power units of the South Ukrainian NPP, and later on at the Zaporizhzhya NPP, where in 2019, Unit 5 became the second power unit in Ukraine to operate exclusively on Westinghouse nuclear fuel.
By the way, in 2019, Ukraine became the first country in the world to implement a project to diversify nuclear fuel for VVER-1000 reactors. Then, in 2020, Rivne NPP was next in line to use Westinghouse nuclear fuel for VVER-440 reactors. Of course, the country was simultaneously developing and implementing related programs to implement spent fuel management technology and build a centralized spent fuel storage facility.
The second reason is to increase the level of safety of operation of the existing nuclear reactor fleet by using nuclear fuel of new modifications, construction of new reactors of the third and, in the future, the fourth generation with the ultimate goal of further decommissioning of technologically obsolete NPP units and introduction of spent nuclear fuel management technologies.
In my opinion, the construction of new AP1000 power units is the next stage in achieving energy security and independence of the Ukrainian energy sector. Let me remind you that the oldest operating nuclear reactor in Ukraine was commissioned in 1980, and the youngest two power units were commissioned in 2004, and the design end date of the newest ones is 2035.
The entire reactor fleet of both VVER-440 and VVER-1000 in Ukraine belongs to the second generation, which has long been considered archaic in the world.
It should be noted that AP1000 nuclear reactors compare favorably with VVER-1000 in the following key characteristics:
So, summarizing my speech, I want to say that Ukraine has everything it needs to further develop the nuclear industry. I mean the scientific potential, almost 50 years of experience in NPP operation, developed material and technical infrastructure, Ukraine ranks 12th in uranium reserves and 11th in uranium production in the world, has well-established logistics for nuclear fuel supply, is actively implementing strategies to ensure spent fuel management of power reactors, a large pool of nuclear professionals, and so on.
As you can see, Ukraine has been struggling to build nuclear reactors using the latest technologies for more than 30 years, and this is a very difficult but justified path and invaluable experience.
- In order to answer your question comprehensively, I must say that before the full-scale war, there was a surplus of installed generating capacities in Ukraine, including renewable energy sources (RES), in line with the existing demand for electricity consumption, which in the best years reached 19-20 GWh, and during the pandemic was somewhere around 15.5 GWh.
As for the energy balance, before the war, the share of nuclear generation in the electricity generation structure ranged from 50 to 60%. For this purpose, four nuclear power plants (NPPs) operated in Ukraine, generating electricity using 13 VVER-1000 and 2 VVER-440 nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 13.8 GW. The remaining 40% of the 100% of electricity generated in Ukraine was distributed among other types of power plants - hydroelectric power plants, pumped storage power plants, thermal power plants, CHP plants and renewable energy sources. This, in short, was the energy mix before the war in Ukraine.
Now, electricity generation and consumption have significantly decreased as a result of Russia's military aggression. Today, we have large-scale destruction or damage to the energy infrastructure, temporary occupation of Ukrainian power plants, including Zaporizhzhya NPP, by Russian terrorists. We know that the operation of the seized power plants grossly violates all safety rules, which together are likely to lead to a global man-made disaster and severe consequences for the whole of Europe and half of the world.
Now, let's return to the post-war restoration of the energy infrastructure as a component of the national economy of the Ukrainian state, which is a potential member of the European Union (EU), and to the forecast of a significant increase in demand for electricity consumption by various industries.
Here's an example: due to the 2020-2022 pandemic and Russia's war against Ukraine, prices for gas, oil, refined products, electricity, etc. have increased significantly worldwide. The production of products in the EU industry is becoming very expensive due to the significant rise in energy prices and environmental requirements.
Modernization of production facilities at existing plants always involves limiting production or suspending production altogether, which carries the risk of significant losses in the competitive global market and financial losses.
Thus, there is a factor of the need to relocate production facilities to the Republic of Poland, Romania or Hungary, the Balkan countries, and possibly to transfer some industrial capacities to Ukraine, because we have everything for this, from infrastructure to human capital. In addition, even today, during the war, many domestic industrial enterprises managed to relocate their production to the central and western regions of Ukraine, and this trend will only grow in the postwar period. So, I believe that the volume of electricity consumption after the war will not only return to the pre-war level, but will also grow by about 30% at least.
- In January, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the start of construction of two AP 1000 reactors. The units will be installed at Khmelnytsky NPP. The supplier is to be Westinghouse. Ukraine has ambitious plans to expand its nuclear industry, with plans to build 9 new AP1000 units in the country. How do you perceive this news?
- I have a positive reaction to this news for two reasons. The first reason is more political - it is independence through the diversification of supplies and technologies of nuclear fuel use at our NPPs.
Realizing the absolute dependence on Russia in the nuclear industry and the great risks associated with it, Ukraine held negotiations with General Atomics from the United States in 1992 and with Westinghouse in 1993. Based on their results, in 1994 it was decided to form a protocol of intent on cooperation with Westinghouse. This landmark event actually launched a program to convert nuclear power plants using Russian nuclear fuel to new modifications of nuclear fuel based on Westinghouse technology.
Further, in 2005, Westinghouse nuclear fuel was first loaded into the power units of the South Ukrainian NPP, and later on at the Zaporizhzhya NPP, where in 2019, Unit 5 became the second power unit in Ukraine to operate exclusively on Westinghouse nuclear fuel.
By the way, in 2019, Ukraine became the first country in the world to implement a project to diversify nuclear fuel for VVER-1000 reactors. Then, in 2020, Rivne NPP was next in line to use Westinghouse nuclear fuel for VVER-440 reactors. Of course, the country was simultaneously developing and implementing related programs to implement spent fuel management technology and build a centralized spent fuel storage facility.
The second reason is to increase the level of safety of operation of the existing nuclear reactor fleet by using nuclear fuel of new modifications, construction of new reactors of the third and, in the future, the fourth generation with the ultimate goal of further decommissioning of technologically obsolete NPP units and introduction of spent nuclear fuel management technologies.
In my opinion, the construction of new AP1000 power units is the next stage in achieving energy security and independence of the Ukrainian energy sector. Let me remind you that the oldest operating nuclear reactor in Ukraine was commissioned in 1980, and the youngest two power units were commissioned in 2004, and the design end date of the newest ones is 2035.
The entire reactor fleet of both VVER-440 and VVER-1000 in Ukraine belongs to the second generation, which has long been considered archaic in the world.
It should be noted that AP1000 nuclear reactors compare favorably with VVER-1000 in the following key characteristics:
- lower capital costs and shorter construction time;
- higher capacity factor and longer service life;
- more reliable design, which is easier to maintain during operation and less vulnerable to the effects of operational risks;
- low probability of core meltdown accidents;
- Increased percentage of fuel burnup, which ensures higher efficiency and reduced waste volume;
- the use of burnup absorbers to extend the service life of fuel elements;
- has minimal environmental impact.
So, summarizing my speech, I want to say that Ukraine has everything it needs to further develop the nuclear industry. I mean the scientific potential, almost 50 years of experience in NPP operation, developed material and technical infrastructure, Ukraine ranks 12th in uranium reserves and 11th in uranium production in the world, has well-established logistics for nuclear fuel supply, is actively implementing strategies to ensure spent fuel management of power reactors, a large pool of nuclear professionals, and so on.
As you can see, Ukraine has been struggling to build nuclear reactors using the latest technologies for more than 30 years, and this is a very difficult but justified path and invaluable experience.