10 Feb (NucNet): Russia’s Atomstroyexport yesterday signed a contract with Energoatom of Ukraine to develop the technical design of reactor units for the third and fourth units of the Khmelnitski nuclear power plant.
Atomstroyexport, a subsidiary of Russian state nuclear company Rosatom, said the contract is a framework agreement that provides for development of the technical design for two VVER-1000 units.
In June 2010, Russia and Ukraine signed an intergovernmental agreement on the resumption of work on the two partially built reactors at Khmelnitsky.
The Ukrainian parliament ratified that agreement last month. Under the agreement, Russia will provide financing for the amount needed to design, construct and commission the two reactors, including for payments for services and goods supplied by Russia. Any components supplied from Ukraine for the project would be financed from the Ukrainian budget.
Rosatom said the project to complete the two units will take five years and will cost from 5 to 6 billion US dollars (4.1 to 4.9 billion euro).
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, construction of Khmelnitski-3 began in September 1985, and construction of Khmelnitski-4 in June 1986.
Work on the two units stopped in 1990 when they were 75 percent and 28 percent complete, respectively. The IAEA lists both units as under construction.
The Ukrainian government wants to finalise details of the project and approve the design for the new units this year. Khmelnitski-3 could be commissioned in 2016 and Khmelnitski-4 in 2017.
Ukraine generates almost half its electricity from its 15 commercially operational nuclear reactors, all Russian-designed pressurised water reactors, including two existing units at Khmelnitski.
>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
Go-Ahead For Commercial Operation At Ukraine’s Khmelnitski-2 (World Nuclear Review No. 139, 16 September 2005)
Russia And Ukraine To Start Work On Khmelnitski Proposal (World Nuclear Review No. 48, 30 November 2007)
Russia And Ukraine Sign Agreement On Khmelnitski Completion (News in Brief No. 104, 10 June 2010)
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