Mass deployment of SMR Holtec in Ukraine

Holtec, which specializes in nuclear technology, and Energoatom, the Ukrainian national atomic energy company, have signed an agreement to set up a pilot project for small-scale nuclear reactors in Ukraine. The agreement also provides for the construction of a plant to produce equipment for these reactors in the country.

Share:

On April 21, Energoatom President Petro Kotin signed a cooperation agreement with Holtec CEO Kris Singh in Kiev and Camden, USA. The ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Energy of Ukraine, Herman Galushchenko, and the Vice President of Holtec International’s operations in Ukraine, Riaz Avan.

According to Holtec, the cooperation agreement calls for the implementation of the first SMR-160 pilot project with the goal of achieving minimum controlled reactor power and grid connection by March 2029. The agreement also calls for the establishment of a joint project office to begin the work necessary to license and deploy Holtec’s SMR-160s throughout Ukraine, with a focus on abandoned coal production sites.

A self-sufficient SMR

Holtec’s SMR-160 is a 160 MWe factory-built plant that uses low-enriched uranium fuel. The reactor core and all components of the nuclear steam generation system would be located underground, and the design incorporates a multitude of features, including a passive cooling system capable of operating indefinitely after shutdown. No active components, such as pumps, are needed to operate the reactor, which does not require on-site or remote electricity to shut down and dissipate decay heat.

In March 2018, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Holtec and Energoatom, envisaging Ukraine’s adoption of Holtec’s SMR technology with the country becoming a manufacturing center for SMR-160 reactor components. The MOU included the licensing and construction of SMR-160 reactors in Ukraine, as well as the partial localization of SMR-160 components.

Manufacturing hub in Ukraine

The Ukrainian manufacturing hub is expected to mirror the capabilities of Holtec’s advanced manufacturing facility in Camden, and will be one of four manufacturing facilities Holtec plans to build in locations around the world by the mid-2020s. In June 2019, Holtec, Energoatom, and the State Scientific and Technological Center of Ukraine formally entered into a partnership to advance the SMR-160 for deployment in Ukraine.

The partners ratified the creation of a consortium partnership that linked the three companies in a cooperative venture to advance the deployment of the SMR-160 small modular reactor in the country. The consortium is a U.S. company registered in Delaware, with each of the three parties owning allocated shares. Its technology operations center will be based in Kiev, Ukraine.

  • Populaires ​
United States selects Westinghouse and Radiant to test their nuclear microreactors
TotalEnergies sells 50% of its renewable assets in Portugal for €178.5mn
Rio Tinto: five strategic priorities to close a 40% valuation discount
EDF postpones restart of Flamanville EPR to August 13
Ardian completes Akuo takeover and installs Bruno Bensasson at the helm
Canada: CCSN approves the ARC-100 reactor design review
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has identified no major barriers to licensing the ARC-100 reactor, announces ARC Clean Technology.
Lithuanian nuclear operator SE Ignalina signs agreement with Newcleo
SE Ignalina, the Lithuanian nuclear operator, has signed a memorandum of understanding with French firm Newcleo to explore the integration of small modular reactors (SMRs) using lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) technology in Lithuania.
Egypt: Supplementary agreements signed for the El Dabaa nuclear power plant
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi oversaw the signing of new agreements for the construction of the El Dabaa nuclear power plant, thus strengthening the strategic cooperation between Egypt and Russia.
Vistra obtains approval to extend Perry nuclear plant operations
Vistra Corp receives green light to extend Perry nuclear plant operations in Ohio by 20 years, securing regional electricity supply until 2046 and ensuring operational continuity for all its nuclear reactors in the United States.
EDF injects €1.3 billion into Sizewell C, its second British EPR
EDF will hold a 12.5% stake in the Sizewell C nuclear project in the UK, a €1.3 billion investment announced during Emmanuel Macron’s official visit to London, confirming the strategic nuclear energy alignment between the two countries.
France: Cigéo nuclear waste underground storage project makes significant progress
The French Cigéo project, designed to bury the most hazardous radioactive waste deep underground, obtains a crucial technical validation before its final authorization, expected by the end of 2027.
EDF launches its nuclear Technocentre in Fessenheim, estimated investment of €450 million
EDF confirms the continuation of its industrial project in Fessenheim for recycling very low-level radioactive metals, a first in France requiring specific regulatory authorizations, following a public debate concluded last February.
NANO Nuclear signs strategic agreement with UrAmerica on Argentine uranium
NANO Nuclear Energy Inc. formalizes its collaboration with UrAmerica Ltd. to strengthen Argentina’s uranium supply, aiming to secure future nuclear fuel supply chains for the U.S. market.
SHINE and Standard Nuclear form strategic partnership on recycled fuel
American companies SHINE Technologies and Standard Nuclear partner to recycle uranium and plutonium, supplying advanced fuel to the nuclear reactor sector and enhancing the national energy security of the United States.
Floating nuclear power plants evaluated to supply Mediterranean regions
The American Bureau of Shipping and two nuclear sector companies are studying the potential deployment of floating nuclear power plants to meet the energy needs of island and coastal regions in the Mediterranean, notably via electricity and desalination.
Lithuania explores nuclear option with small modular reactors
Lithuania establishes a working group tasked with assessing the feasibility of modular nuclear reactors to meet electricity demand estimated at 74 TWh by 2050.
Framatome wins two major contracts to extend Belgian nuclear operations
Framatome has secured two significant contracts from Electrabel covering modernisation and technical support for the Tihange 3 and Doel 4 nuclear reactors, as part of their extension agreed upon between Engie and the Belgian government.
Egypt accelerates El-Dabaa national grid connection for 2026
Cairo is stepping up connection works for the planned 4,800 MW El-Dabaa nuclear plant, developed with Rosatom, to feed the grid from 2026 with output equal to about seven % of national electricity.
GE Vernova and Fortum launch major nuclear project in Scandinavia
GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Fortum announce partnership aimed at preparing for the potential deployment of small modular reactors in Finland and Sweden, with commissioning scheduled for the 2030s.
Energy Fuels extracts 638,700 pounds of uranium at Pinyon Plain mine
Energy Fuels Inc. announced record production of 638,700 pounds of uranium during the second quarter of 2025 at its Pinyon Plain mine in Arizona, significantly surpassing initial site performance forecasts.
Argentina and Peru strengthen cooperation in civil nuclear sector
Argentina and Peru have signed an agreement expanding their scientific and technological cooperation in the civil nuclear field, including joint research projects and specialised training programmes for future development.
World Bank resumes nuclear financing after decades of absence
After several decades without funding nuclear projects, the World Bank has formed a strategic partnership with the IAEA to provide technical and financial support to countries integrating nuclear energy into their energy strategies.
Seoul approves definitive decommissioning of South Korea’s first nuclear reactor
South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission officially validates the decommissioning of reactor number one at the Kori plant, initiating an unprecedented project for the national industry scheduled to last until 2037.
EnCore Energy raises uranium output and hails Texas nuclear reforms
Uranium producer enCore Energy surpasses three thousand pounds per day at its Alta Mesa ISR complex and sees three new Texas laws as a strong signal for faster nuclear production permits.
IAEA Confirms Concerns About Iranian Enriched Uranium Stockpile
The International Atomic Energy Agency expresses concerns over Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles following the abrupt suspension of inspections at key sites disrupted by recent attacks whose consequences remain uncertain.

LEGAL

FOSSILS

POLICY

RENEWABLE

PLUS

© XMARKET PUBLISHING