At the COP29 climate conference in Baku, Ukraine and the United States announced the launch of three new small modular reactor (SMR) projects with a total funding of $30 million. This was reported by the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine.
The projects will be implemented under the FIRST (Basic Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology) programme and include three key initiatives:
- The Clean Fuel project is the construction of a pilot plant for the production of pure hydrogen and ammonia.
- The Phoenix project is the conversion of coal-fired power plants to SMR.
- The Clean Steel project is developing a roadmap for decarbonising the steel industry with the help of SMR.
These projects are aimed at reducing carbon emissions, improving energy security and decarbonising Ukraine’s economy, especially in the context of post-war recovery.
According to the Ministry of Energy, small modular reactor technology has significant advantages over traditional nuclear power plants due to its modular design, convenient transportation, high safety, and lower initial investment.
The initiatives will involve leading energy companies and research institutions from both Ukraine and the United States.
