In a significant move to bolster Ukraine’s energy independence, Westinghouse Electric Company has signed a strategic agreement with Ukraine’s national nuclear energy generating company, JSC NNEGC Energoatom. The deal, inked at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, Italy, on 10 and 11 July 2025, aims to establish final fuel assembly capability within Ukraine. This initiative is set to enhance the security of fuel supply for the nation’s nuclear fleet through Westinghouse’s VVER fuel solution, the only fully Western offering for VVER reactors.
Energoatom acting CEO Petro Kotin and Westinghouse global BWR and VVER fuel business senior vice-president Aziz Dag formalized the agreement in the presence of Ukraine’s Minister of Energy, German Galuschenko. The agreement outlines plans to set up an assembly line for VVER-1000 fuel elements at Energoatom’s subsidiary, AtomEnergoMash. This development follows significant progress made earlier in 2025 when AtomEnergoMash received approval from Westinghouse as a qualified supplier for manufacturing top and bottom nozzles of VVER-1000 fuel assemblies.
Petro Kotin expressed gratitude for the partnership, stating, “We are continuing our path to establishing our nuclear fuel assembly line in Ukraine by implementing advanced Westinghouse technologies. I am very grateful to our partners for their trust, based on many years of successful cooperation. Step by step, Energoatom is moving towards becoming the centre of nuclear energy in Eastern Europe.”
Beyond enhancing fuel assembly capabilities, Westinghouse has also agreed to construct nine AP1000 reactors across Ukraine. The AP1000 reactor, featuring Generation III+ technology with passive safety systems, modular design, and efficient space utilisation per megawatt-electric (MWe), is gaining traction in Europe. This technology has been chosen for new nuclear energy initiatives in Poland and Bulgaria and is under consideration in several other locations across Europe, the UK, and North America.
Westinghouse nuclear fuel president Tarik Choho emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership, stating, “We are proud to extend our strong partnership and shared commitment to energy security in Ukraine. Westinghouse has an excellent track record of VVER nuclear fuel design used in VVER-1000 and VVER-440 nuclear power plants in Ukraine, with two decades of exceptional operational performance. Our best-in-class fuel assemblies help Ukraine and other countries reduce their dependence on Russian nuclear fuel supply chains and advance a carbon-free future.”
This deal could significantly reshape the nuclear energy landscape in Eastern Europe. By establishing a domestic fuel assembly capability, Ukraine not only strengthens its energy security but also reduces its reliance on external suppliers. The introduction of advanced AP1000 reactors could further modernize Ukraine’s nuclear fleet, setting a precedent for other countries in the region to follow. The collaboration between Westinghouse and Energoatom underscores the growing trend of Western companies supporting energy independence in Eastern Europe, potentially accelerating the region’s transition to a more sustainable and secure energy future.
Additionally, Westinghouse Electric was recently awarded a $180m contract by ITER for the assembly of a nuclear fusion reactor’s vacuum vessel in Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France. This further highlights Westinghouse’s expanding role in global nuclear energy projects.