UK financially props up Ukraine’s nuclear industry, while renewable sources there grow.

Signal: UK loan to support Ukraine’s nuclear energy

Nuclear power is Ukraine’s primary source of energy, but Russia’s invasion has created serious problems for the industry.

Energy Monitor, By Eve Thomas 25 Aug 23

The UK has announced a £192m ($242m) loan guarantee to support Ukraine’s nuclear energy industry, following the visit of the Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary, Grant Shapps, to Kyiv this week. Nuclear is Ukraine’s main energy source, making up around 60% of the country’s power generation in 2022…………………………

The loan will enable UK-based company, Urenco, to supply uranium enrichment services to Ukraine’s national nuclear company, Energoatom………………………………….

Zaporizhzhia is not the only nuclear energy site to be affected by the invasion, with the South Ukraine nuclear plant also facing serious issues. Drones have reportedly been recorded flying low over the site and, in November, the plant lost connection to one of its three 750kV power lines, leading to a 50% reduction in power to one of its three operating reactors. The Khmelnitsky and Rivne power plants have also faced difficulties due to blackouts caused by missile strikes, which cause them to automatically disconnect from the grid.

The impact on nuclear power in Ukraine has, unsurprisingly, been significant, killing the industry’s growth and limiting opportunities in the nation’s biggest energy sector.

Trends identified by GlobalData indicate that the invasion marked the curtailing of patent filings in Ukraine’s nuclear energy industry, with no filings identified since January 2022. With priorities elsewhere and plants under Russian control, Ukraine nuclear future has become unclear.

However, the invasion has far from killed Ukraine’s alternative energy industry, with active jobs in the industry showing recovery since the invasion, according to GlobalData. Although Ukraine’s nuclear industry is suffering, solar panels have been used to provide off-grid solutions, and the country has plans to rebuild greener than ever. https://www.energymonitor.ai/news/signal-uk-loan-support-ukraine-nuclear-energy/?cf-view

August 26, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international