Ukraine is considering two options to complete the third and fourth reactor units at the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Monday.
According to state media Ukrinform, specialists are currently working to determine the “most optimal” way to complete the long-delayed reactor units, describing nuclear energy as the backbone of Ukraine’s future power system.
The Khmelnytskyi plant, located in western Ukraine, currently operates two reactors with a combined capacity of about 2,000 megawatts (MW). Construction of the third and fourth units began in the Soviet era but was never completed.
Shmyhal said nuclear energy could “cover the base load of the power grid” in Ukraine.
“Nuclear generation will form the basis of the new energy architecture, as it allows us to cover the base load of the power grid,” Shmyhal said via Telegram, adding that completing the two units at Khmelnytskyi remains a priority.
The renewed focus on expanding nuclear generation comes as Russia continues to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
In late 2025, Russia’s repeated targeting of Ukraine’s thermal and hydroelectric facilities has led to extensive rolling blackouts, with nuclear power remaining the backbone of the country’s power generation – though some reactors were also forced to power down due to damaged infrastructure.
Ukraine recently explored purchasing two Russian‑made VVER‑1000 reactor units originally built for Bulgaria’s unfinished Belene Nuclear Power Plant. While Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, approved the purchase in early 2025, Bulgarian authorities later halted the sale, delaying Kyiv’s plans.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the time that Ukraine remains ready to continue cooperation to obtain two reactor units for the NPP, and final decisions will be made after technical evaluations are completed.
Any move to resume large-scale construction at the plant will require additional legislative decisions, officials said.