The power unit of the Khmelnytskyi NPP is 80% ready, we must take advantage of the opportunity to complete it

Ukraine should take advantage of the opportunity and complete the power unit of the Khmelnytskyi NPP, which is 80% ready.

This was stated by Victoria Hryb, a member of the Verkhovna Rada committee on energy issues, RBC-Ukraine informs.

«The 3rd power unit will be ready in 3 years. Because today this project is already 80% ready. And it seems to me that Ukraine cannot afford not to take advantage of this opportunity. Because we need additional gigawatts,» said the parliamentarian, commenting on the draft law «On the placement, design and construction of power units №3 and №4 of Khao NPP» (№ 11146).

According to her, a lot has already been done on the project, all the calculations and plans are in place, and qualified personnel from Zaporizhzhia NPP are working. «We can attract 1.1 gigawatts (from the completion of the power unit) in 3 years, we just need to take advantage of this opportunity, if only because we have these professional personnel today.»

Earlier, the Verkhovna Rada's Committee on Energy and Housing and Communal Services at a meeting on June 17 approved the government's draft law on the completion of the construction of power units No. 3 and No. 4 at the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant.

After this decision, draft law No. 11146 will be submitted to the session hall for consideration. Adoption of the draft law will allow Ukraine to start work on the completion of power units, to increase the capacity of nuclear generation by 2,200 MW and, accordingly, to produce the cheapest type of electricity.

Energy Minister Herman Galushchenko said that from the moment of the adoption of the relevant draft law by the parliament and the signing by the president, power unit №3 can be connected to the power grid in 2.5-3 years, because its degree of readiness is up to 80%. Regarding power unit №4, according to preliminary plans, it can be completed and connected to the power grid in 4 years. Construction work on the completion of both reactors will be carried out in parallel.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine previously supported the decision to complete the power units of the Khmelnytskyi NPP together with Western partners. This project corresponds to the Energy Strategy approved by Ukraine, as well as the position of the National Security and Defense Ministry and the President.

We will remind you that the construction of two more units at the nuclear power plant has started in the Khmelnytskyi region. The first cube of concrete of power unit №5 has already been laid.

A year ago, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted the order «On organizational measures for the construction of power units of the Khmelnytskyi NPP». According to the document, the estimated date of completion of construction and start-up of two power units at the Khmelnytskyi NPP is 2030-2032, although the date may be affected by the course of hostilities.