Ukraine can begin developing its nuclear engineering sector right now, without waiting for new power units to be built. This is because the nuclear energy sector consists not only of nuclear power plants (NPPs), but also of hundreds of supporting enterprises and operators. This was reported by Dengi.ua, citing an op-ed by Maksym Pyshny, founder of the Association of Nuclear Industry Specialists.
As the expert notes, the nuclear power industry comprises hundreds of companies that manufacture reactor, turbine, and electrical equipment, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, cables, transformers, control systems, metal structures, radiation monitoring equipment, and thousands of other products.
As an example, he cited the experience of Italy, where an initiative by Ansaldo Energia and RINA is aimed primarily at companies that do not yet operate in the nuclear industry but possess mechanical engineering, metallurgical, electrical, or engineering expertise that can be adapted to nuclear requirements.
“Ukraine should not wait for the start of construction of a new power unit to develop its nuclear machinery industry. We already have a large domestic market - operating VVER units that need to be repaired, modernized, upgraded in capacity, and prepared for long-term operation. At the same time, Ukrainian companies can enter the international market for VVER maintenance, gradually replacing Russian suppliers,” notes Maksym Pyshny.
Furthermore, he says, we need not only a “reactor construction program” but also a national program to develop the nuclear supply chain.
“Italy has correctly understood the key point: the nuclear renaissance does not begin solely at the nuclear power plant site. It begins at factories, design bureaus, testing laboratories, and companies that today may not even consider themselves part of the nuclear industry. For Ukraine, the question shouldn’t just be: ‘What kind of reactor will we build?’ It is far more important to ask: What portion of the equipment will we manufacture ourselves, how much of the value will remain within the country, and will Ukrainian enterprises be able to supply equipment to the global nuclear industry over the next decades?” Pyshny concluded.