The State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety (SSTC NRS) of Ukraine and the U.S. NuScale Power Company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) providing for review of national regulatory and design documents related to the implementation of the NuScale technology for the construction of small modular reactors (SMRs) in Ukraine. The MoU was signed by SSTC NRS Director, Ihor Shevchenko, from the Ukrainian side and by NuScale Power’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nuclear Officer, Dale Atkinson, from the U.S. side.

The signing ceremony took place in January 2020 at the NuScale Power Headquarters in Corvallis (Oregon, USA) with participation of senior executives from the U. S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Energy and Chairman of the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine, Hryhorii Plachkov.

The MoU provides for analysis and study of gaps existing in the Ukrainian legislation based on the experience in licensing the NuScale SMR in the United States.

NuScale Power’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nuclear Officer, Dale Atkinson, said in his speech that the company welcomed cooperation with the SSTC NRS as a scientific and technical support organization with sufficient experience and authority, so there should no doubt that the SSTC NRS’ specialists would be able to gather all the necessary information and find the best ways to implement the NuScale technology into Ukraine's energy future.

In the review of issues related to licensing the new reactor technology, the SSTC NRS will provide scientific and technical support to the Ukrainian regulator.

"This Memorandum of Understanding will help find answers to a number of questions, including whether the SMR technology would meet Ukraine's energy needs," said Ihor Shevchenko, SSTC NRS Director. "The review findings will become an integral part of the SMR licensing process and future implementation of the NuScale technology in Ukraine. Our goal is to promote equal conditions for all companies so that new safe nuclear technology can enter the Ukrainian energy market."

In late August, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (U.S. NRC) completed the review of the Design Licensing Application and Safety Analysis Report on construction of NuScale small modular reactors to further launch the development of innovation nuclear technology. The agreement of the Safety Analysis Report with the nuclear regulator actually means that the SMR construction design has been finally reviewed and approved. Therefore, the design is fully completed and all safety aspects have been agreed with the U.S. NRC, construction thus being the next stage.