German Galushchenko urges to maximise potential of Ukrainian nuclear industry and replace russia in the global markets

Ukraine has an extraordinary potential for the development of its nuclear industry, in particular in the production of nuclear fuel, uranium mining, and the construction of small modular reactors.

This was emphasised by Minister of Energy of Ukraine German Galushchenko at a meeting of the Nuclear Energy and Industry Workers' Union of Ukraine.

The Minister of Energy drew attention to the key role of the nuclear industry in the challenging 2022/2023 heating season and thanked nuclear workers for their daily work, which had helped to maintain the country's power system.

The Minister outlined short-term objectives for the industry.

"The first and key thing is ZNPP. When it is liberated, we will have a huge challenge - to connect the plant to the Ukrainian power grid within the shortest possible term. Therefore, we have a lot of work to do," he said.

German Galushchenko also stressed the importance of working towards the establishment of nuclear fuel production.

"We have a task to start producing fuel for the VVER-440 (water-water energetic reactor) and eradicate rosatom's monopoly in Europe. We are vigorously working on imposing sanctions against russia in the nuclear industry, but the sanctions will move fastest when Ukraine is capable of replacing the production that used to be produced only by russia," the Minister stressed.

German Galushchenko noted the potential for the development of the uranium mining industry, recalling the relevant agreements on cooperation between Energoatom and the Canadian company SAMESO.

"The issue of substituting russia in the uranium market is also a priority. Today, unfortunately, they have about 40% of this market and cooperate with many countries. Our task is to remove them from the market as well," said the Minister of Energy.

The Minister stressed that currently Ukraine played a significant role among the countries with nuclear power, and Ukrainian nuclear engineers were highly qualified and valued worldwide.

The long-term objectives of the industry include the construction of new nuclear units, new nuclear power plants and small modular reactors.

"Nuclear energy will develop with the construction of both new large units and small modular reactors. It is the future, and the whole world is moving in this direction. Ukraine will be among the pioneers to operate these reactors," emphasised German Galushchenko.