Westinghouse Electric Company on Tuesday announced a new contract with National Nuclear Energy Generating Company (NNEGC) Energoatom to license the Westinghouse BEACON Core Monitoring System for use at the Zaporizhia nuclear plant's Unit 5.
The contract represents continued diversification of fuel and related materials supply to Ukrainian reactors, Westinghouse said. For several years, the country has been diversifying its energy sector to create energy stability that had been previously at risk due to an overwhelmingly dependent relationship with Russia.
The contract signing included Energoatom President Yuriy O. Nedashkovsky and Westinghouse President and Chief Executive Officer Danny Roderick.
“Westinghouse continues to help Ukraine increase domestic energy output, while enhancing safety and security, providing for Ukrainians' electricity needs and further diversifying fuel and components supply to the country,” Roderick said in a statement.
“We are providing the country energy independence through diversification,” he said.
BEACON is a proprietary reactor core monitoring system that helps ensure safe reactor operations. It has been in operation since 1990 and is currently used in over 50 nuclear power plants in eight countries, the company noted, estimating the system has “well over 400 reactor years of operational experience.”