Ukraine’s nuclear utility Energoatom is planning to set up a consortium to investigate the environmental and technical feasibility of qualifying a generic SMR-160 small modular reactor (SMR) system that can be built and operated at any candidate site in the country. Energoatom CEO Yuriy Nedashkovsky said, during an 8 February meeting in Florida that the consortium would comprise US-based Holtec, developer of the SMR-160, and Ukraine’s State Scientific and Technical Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Safety.

In March 2018 Energoatom and Holtec signed an agreement for Ukraine to adopt Holtec’s SMR-160 technology in the late 2020s. Ukraine expects to become a manufacturing hub for SMR-160 components and systems, mirroring the capabilities of Holtec’s Camden plant in New York state. Holtec said its business plan requires four manufacturing plants to be operating worldwide by the mid-2020s. Holtec is also reportedly in talks with Ukrainian suppliers of specialty machinery such as turbogenerators to integrate their products in SMR-160. According to Holtec, Energoatom aims to replace  two VVER-440 power units of the Rovno NPP with SMR-160s.

Holtec has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Exelon Generation, adding Exelon to the SMR-160 development team, which includes SNC-Lavalin and Mitsubishi Electric. Exelon Generation plans to support SMR-160's market acceptance, develop a generic deployment schedule and staffing plan, and assist to improve its operability and maintainability features, Holtec said. As SMR-160s are built around the globe, Exelon Generation could provide reactor operating services to customers that lack an established nuclear industrial infrastructure, it added.

Holtec describes the SMR-160 as a "passive, intrinsically safe, secure and economical" small modular reactor that has the flexibility to be used in remote locations, in areas with limited water supplies or land, and in unique industrial applications where traditional larger reactors are not practical.