The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, expressed his full support for Ukraine’s decision to complete the construction of two nuclear power units at the Khmelnytskyi NPP. During a visit to Ukraine, he stressed that it was a “wise and timely decision,” given the strategic role of nuclear energy in supporting Ukraine’s economy during the war.
“Nuclear energy has become the backbone of Ukraine's economy during the most difficult period. We consider the completion of the units a wise decision,” Grossi said.
Khmelnytskyi NPP Unit 3 is already 80% complete, and Unit 4 is 25%. Considerable efforts and investments have been made in this project. In April, the Ukrainian government approved a plan for the completion of the plant, and, according to preliminary estimates, Unit 3 should be connected to the grid in three years.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at a meeting with Rafael Grossi, emphasized that the issue of completion is extremely important for the stability of the country's energy system.
“The ball is now in the court of the Ukrainian parliament. We all understand how important it is to complete this project as soon as possible,” Zelenskyy said.
The IAEA has already begun analytical work on assessing the safety of future units and is ready to provide technical support at all stages of the project's implementation.
“The agency is, of course, ready to help Ukraine. We are already working on the analysis and assessment of the safety of these blocks,” Grossi added.
The completion of power units No. 3 and No. 4 will be an important step in strengthening Ukraine's energy independence. Nuclear energy, which currently provides a significant portion of the country's electricity, will receive an additional resource for stability and development.
With the support of the IAEA and political focus on this project, Ukraine is taking a strategic step towards strengthening its energy security, which is especially important in times of war.
