Latest news with #VVER
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
PM Modi inaugurates projects worth ₹4,900 crore in Tamil Nadu
Along with the new terminal of Thoothukudi airport and the extended runway, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (July 26, 2025) launched a few more completed projects on an outlay of ₹4,900 crore in various parts of Tamil Nadu. Since the Airports Authority of India wants to increase the number of passengers using Thoothukudi Airport to 20 lakh per annum in the next five to ten years and to increase Thoothukudi's air connectivity manifold by introducing flights to various parts of the country and abroad, the 17,340 square meter new terminal in Chettinad- style architecture has been created. The 1,350-meter-long runway has been extended to 3,115 meters with a night landing facility for handling wide-bodied aircraft, like A320s and A321s. Moreover, to ensure the hassle-free handling of the passengers, 21 check-in counters, 7 baggage scanners, 3 aerobridges, 644 seats, a feeding room for mothers, isolation areas, 5 aircraft parking bays, fully equipped fire station have been completed. After the expansion, the Thoothukudi airport can handle up to 1,400 passengers per hour, which stood at just 156 earlier, officials said. Another important project inaugurated by Mr. Modi on Saturday (July 26, 2025) was the 306-meter-long north cargo berthing facility with 14.20 metre draft at the cost of ₹285 crores at the VOC Port, Thoothukudi, which can handle larger vessels carrying coal, copper concentrate, limestone, gypsum and rock phosphate. This new berth is likely to create 300 direct employment and 500 indirect jobs. As of now, the all-weather VOC Port handles containers, coal, limestone, windmill turbine blades, fertilizer, edible oil, construction materials, timber, machinery, etc. The 4-lane Sethiyathoppu – Chozhapuram 50 km stretch has been completed at the cost of ₹2,357 crore, and the 4-lane road connecting the VOC Port, Thoothukudi, has been upgraded into a 6-lane at the cost of ₹200 crores to ensure the hassle-free movement of heavy trucks carrying containers, logs and bulk cargo like coal and fertilizers. The double railway track in Nagercoil Town – Nagercoil Junction – Kanniyakumari, Aralvaimozhi – Nagercoil Junction and Tirunelveli – Melapalayam sections were also dedicated to the nation on the occasion. The much-awaited Madurai – Bodi railway track electrification, which was taken up after this section was converted into broad gauge after decades of waiting, was also dedicated to the nation. All these rail projects have been completed on an outlay of ₹1,032 crores. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the ₹548 crore interstate transmission system to evacuate the 2,000 MW power to be generated by VVER reactors 3 and 4 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, being built with Russian assistance.
Business Wire
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Westinghouse and Energoatom Reinforce Ukraine's Energy Independence with Partnership for Fuel Assembly Capability
ROME--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Westinghouse Electric Company and JSC 'NNEGC 'Energoatom,' Ukraine's national nuclear power company, signed an agreement at the Ukraine Recovery Conference to jointly pursue final fuel assembly capability in Ukraine. This cooperation deepens the partnership between both companies around security of fuel supply for Ukraine's nuclear fleet, leveraging the Westinghouse VVER fuel solution, the only fully Western VVER fuel offering. Petro Kotin, Acting CEO of JSC 'NNEGC 'Energoatom,' and Aziz Dag, Westinghouse Senior Vice-President of Global BWR and VVER Fuel Business, signed the declaration in the presence of Ukraine's Minister of Energy, German Galuschenko The agreement confirms the intention to establish an assembly line for VVER-1000 fuel elements at the facilities of Energoatom's affiliate AtomEnergoMash. It is expected that the final agreement will be signed in the near future. Earlier this year, Westinghouse approved AtomEnergoMash as a qualified supplier for the manufacturing of top and bottom nozzles for Westinghouse's VVER-1000 fuel assemblies in Ukraine, paving the way for this new advanced fuel assembly capability in the country. "We are continuing our path to establishing our nuclear fuel assembly line in Ukraine by implementing advanced Westinghouse technologies. I am very grateful to our partners for their trust, based on many years of successful cooperation. Step by step, Energoatom is moving towards becoming the centre of nuclear energy in Eastern Europe," said Petro Kotin, head of JSC 'NNEGC 'Energoatom'. 'We are proud to extend our strong partnership and shared commitment to energy security in Ukraine,' said Tarik Choho, Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel President. 'Westinghouse has an excellent track record of VVER nuclear fuel design used in VVER-1000 and VVER-440 nuclear power plants in Ukraine, with two decades of exceptional operational performance. Our best-in-class fuel assemblies help Ukraine and other countries reduce their dependence on Russian nuclear fuel supply chains and advance a carbon-free future.' Besides providing Ukraine's existing nuclear fleet with its industry-leading fuel, Westinghouse has committed to build nine AP1000 ® reactors in Ukraine. The AP1000 reactor is the only operating advanced Generation III+ reactor with fully passive safety systems, modular construction design and the smallest footprint per MWe on the market. There are six AP1000 reactors currently setting operational performance and availability records worldwide, with twelve reactors under construction and six more under contract. There will be 18 units based on AP1000 technology in operation globally by the end of the decade. The AP1000 technology has also been selected for nuclear energy programs in Poland and Bulgaria and is also under consideration at multiple other sites in Europe, the United Kingdom and North America. Westinghouse Electric Company is shaping the future of carbon-free energy by providing safe, innovative nuclear and other clean power technologies and services globally. Westinghouse supplied the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957, and the company's technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. Over 135 years of innovation makes Westinghouse the preferred partner for advanced technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and X.
Euractiv
03-07-2025
- Business
- Euractiv
How close is the EU to quitting Russian energy?
Halfway into the third year of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EU has yet to cut the flow of fossil fuel cash to Moscow, casting doubts on its promise to end its addiction to Russian energy by 2027. Despite 17 sanction packages and repeated vows to end reliance on Kremlin-linked hydrocarbons, Russian oil, gas, and LNG still flow into Europe's economy. The bloc imports even uranium, as five EU countries (Finland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Bulgaria) still operate Russian-designed VVER nuclear reactors. While this dependency is partially fuelled by legacy infrastructure, it is political: Slovakia and Hungary – both close to Moscow – are blocking the bloc's 18th sanctions package to force the Commission to review its 2027 phase-out plan. The facts In 2024, the EU spent an estimated €21.9 billion on Russian fossil fuels imports – just 1% less than the previous year. To put that into perspective: the amount exceeds the €18.7 billion in financial aid the EU provided to Ukraine in the same year. According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), crude oil revenues only dropped by 6% year-on-year, or about €2.6 billion – largely because Russia has shifted to using the so-called 'shadow fleet' to get around the restrictions. In the third year of the invasion, 61% of Russia's seaborne oil exports – worth €83 billion – were moved using 558 of these ships. The Commission's latest sanctions proposal would lower the price cap on seaborne Russian crude to $45 per barrel and go after the shadow fleet. The plan Under its REPowerEU roadmap, the Commission laid out a timeline to cut Russian energy ties by 2027. No new gas contracts should be signed from early 2026, and even short-term deals must end by mid-2026. Long-term agreements covering oil, gas and LNG would be phased out entirely by 2027. A carve-out exists for landlocked EU countries still bound by legacy pipeline contracts – they will have until the end of 2027 to comply. Brussels also plans further restrictions targeting Russian uranium and other nuclear imports. Most Russian pipeline gas has already been cut off, with only the TurkStream line continuing to supply the bloc with Russian gas, and talks have been held to expand its capacity . In practice, however, due to the shadow fleet , the flow of Russian LNG to the EU has been steady. The concerns Energy security is often seen as a 'trilemma': balancing reliable supply, environmental protection, and affordability. For EU countries still hooked on Russian fossil fuels, cost is a main concern, and national perspectives differ widely. Hungary and Slovakia argue that maintaining reliance on Russian energy keeps prices low. Germany, by contrast, has largely shifted its gas supply away from Russia toward Norway, and France has secured a 27-year deal for natural gas with Qatar. As for oil, the EU's best bets might be the US and Libya. If the EU can successfully secure alternative suppliers and end the political deadlock on sanctions, it could cut Russia's fossil fuel export revenues by €51 billion a year, data shows. This would slash about 22% of its total earnings, moving it closer to gaining its independence from the Kremlin. (mm)
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Westinghouse Completes First VVER Fuel Deliveries to Temelín and Dukovany Nuclear Power Plants
Key Milestone to Support ČEZ's Long-Term Energy Security and Diversification Strategy CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa., June 16, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Westinghouse Electric Company recently completed the first VVER fuel reload deliveries to Temelín and Dukovany Nuclear Power Plants (NPP) in the Czech Republic, marking a key milestone in ČEZ's strategy to enhance energy security through fuel diversification. The VVER-1000 fuel reload for Temelín NPP is part of the long-term contract signed between Westinghouse and ČEZ in June 2022 and includes the Robust Westinghouse Fuel Assembly design (RWFA-T). Westinghouse also delivered the first VVER-440 fuel reload of its NOVA E-6 design to Dukovany NPP, under the fuel supply agreement signed between Westinghouse and ČEZ in March 2023. Both VVER fuel designs, manufactured in Västerås, Sweden, are fully compatible with non-Westinghouse fuel during the plants' transition and offer increased fuel economy and extended fuel cycles. "This is a step that significantly enhances the energy security of the Czech Republic. In addition to diversifying our nuclear fuel suppliers, we also maintain strategic reserves at both of our nuclear power plants," said Daniel Beneš, Chairman of the Board and CEO of ČEZ. "We are proud to continue supporting ČEZ to strengthen the Czech Republic's energy independence with the Western VVER fuel offering," said Tarik Choho, Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel President. "Westinghouse supplied VVER-1000 fuel to both Temelín units from 2000 to 2010. As the largest supplier of VVER fuel in Europe, we have continued to invest in advanced fuel designs to support energy security in the region. These fuel deliveries are a testament to our shared commitment to safety, reliability, and supply diversification for VVER reactors." Westinghouse is a leading supplier of nuclear fuel, providing a uniquely diversified portfolio in the industry across nuclear reactor types, including PWR, BWR, AGR, and VVER. Through our world-class manufacturing facilities in the United States, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, we focus on delivering innovative fuel technologies to meet our customers' needs for lower fuel cycle costs, increased operational flexibility and efficiency, diversity of supply, and accident-tolerant products. Learn more about our advanced fuel capabilities and how they relate to different reactors around the world: Westinghouse Nuclear > Nuclear Fuel Westinghouse Electric Company is shaping the future of carbon-free energy by providing safe, innovative nuclear and other clean power technologies and services globally. Westinghouse supplied the world's first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 and the company's technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants. Over 135 years of innovation make Westinghouse the preferred partner for advanced technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X. View source version on Contacts media@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Civil defence preparedness drill conducted in Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project
In the wake of a full-fledged war-like situation with neighbouring Pakistan, the civil defence preparedness drill was conducted at Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) on Friday. Since the KKNPP is operating 2 X 1,000 MW VVER reactors with Russian assistance and constructing four more reactors with similar capacity, the Central Industrial Security Force deployed there has sanitized the entire campus ever since the work started in 2001. Apart from the CISF, who guard the KKNPP site and its boundaries with neighbouring villages and the shoreline on the southern side, the Union Government has deployed modern ammunition including anti-aircraft weapon systems to neutralise the airborne threats. As the KKNPP has been categorised as 'high security complex', the civil defense preparedness drill was conducted for 85 minutes since 3.35 p.m. on Friday in the wake of the ongoing conflict with Pakistan to prepare the staff working in the nuclear power plant and the people living around to face any eventuality. After the 'plant emergency' was sounded at 3.35 p.m., the entire personnel in the KKNPP site were alerted for possible 'release of radiation'. Soon, the 'site emergency' was declared to alert the personnel for taking the precautionary measures stipulated by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. Every worker were checked for radioactivity material on them by the technicians in specially designed fully covered dress. 'Even though this exercise is conducted at regular intervals on the KKNPP site to refresh the response by the personnel, we organised it today as part of the civil defence preparedness drill,' said the KKNPP sources. Sources in the intelligence units here said 'due measures' had been put in place at INS Kattabomman in Vijayanarayanam, the low frequency communication network nerve centre for Indian Navy, and its transmission centre on Palayamkottai outskirts and also Indian Space Research Organisation's Propulsion Research Complex at Mahendragiri. 'Both the places are high security complexes and hence these places have been declared as 'no drone zone'. Anyone flying drone in these areas in violation of restriction will be warned severely and even shot at in case of any threat to these installations. So, due measures have been put in place in these places to ensure the safety and security of these complexes and the personnel deployed there,' said the sources.
