Representatives of Ukrainian nuclear operator Energoatom and US-based Westinghouse Electric Company met today to discuss the possible introduction of Westinghouse-made fuel into Units-1 and -2 of the Rovno nuclear power station in western Ukraine.

Energoatom said the purpose of the meeting was for the Ukrainian team to study foreign experience with the operation of VVER-440 type reactors running on Westinghouse fuel.

The US company used to supply VVER-440 fuel for Finland’s two-unit Loviisa nuclear power station, but in 2009 ceased production of this particular fuel type. In 2014, Westinghouse began examining the option of restarting its VVER-440 fuel production capabilities.

Earlier this year, Westinghouse said it was interested in supplying fuel for Ukraine’s Rovno nuclear station.

Two of Rovno’s four units are of the VVER-440 design. These are the only two units of this design in Ukraine’s entire fleet of 15 commercially operational units. All the rest are VVER-1000 PWRs.

Westinghouse has been supplying VVER-1000 fuel for part of Ukraine’s reactor fleet since a 2014 deal. In 2018, South Ukraine-3 became the first Ukrainian unit to use only Westinghouse-supplied fuel assemblies.