At the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP 29), a partnership between the United States and Ukraine was announced to advance small modular reactor (SMR) projects. U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins and Ukraine Minister of Energy German Galushchenko disclosed three project partnerships under the Foundational Infrastructure for the Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) program.
These initiatives aim to position Ukraine as a leader in secure nuclear energy and industrial decarbonization. Participants at the event included Ambassador of Ukraine to Azerbaijan H.E. Yuriy Husyev, U.S. Department of Energy Acting Assistant Secretary Michael Goff, Argonne National Laboratory Director Paul Kearns, and Electric Power Research Institute Senior Vice President Neil Wilmhurst.
The collaboration involves $30 million in FIRST cooperation to support three projects:
1. The "Ukraine Clean Fuels from SMR Pilot Plant" will build a pilot plant in Ukraine to demonstrate clean hydrogen and ammonia production using simulated SMR technology. This project is conducted by a multinational consortium from Japan, South Korea, Ukraine, and the United States.
2. "Project Phoenix – Ukraine" aims to transition coal-fired power plants in Ukraine to SMR nuclear power plants while utilizing existing infrastructure and retraining workers. It includes siting and feasibility studies, grid integration strategy development, and advisory services on conversions from coal to SMR.
3. The "Ukraine Clean Steel from SMR Roadmap" will develop a roadmap with technical support for modernizing Ukraine's steel industry using clean electricity, process heat, and hydrogen from SMRs.
The FIRST program supports countries exploring SMRs for energy security and clean energy goals while adhering to high standards of nuclear security, safety, and nonproliferation.
