1. US Westinghouse makes a historic delivery to Ukraine
On Tuesday, US Westinghouse Electric Company made history by breaking Russia’s monopoly in the Ukrainian nuclear market by delivering the first reload batch of VVER-440 fuel assemblies to Energoatom’s Rivne Nuclear Power Plant. As emphasised by Ukraine’s Energy Minister German Galushchenko, this will “pave the way” for Ukraine and the whole region to achieve “true nuclear energy independence.” Read the full story here.
2. “Special Energy Zones” to be established in Poland
Six special energy zones will soon be designated in northern Poland, Government Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructure Anna Łukaszewska-Trzeciakowska announced during the recent Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland. Industrial investors operating within the new zones are to be offered lower electricity rates. Read the full story here.
3. Serbia to upscale its renewables district heating
Last week, 10 Serbian cities and municipalities were selected to join a government programme offering financing for switching to district heating systems powered by renewables – including geothermal energy. The programme’s first phase, with an estimated value of 40.5 million euros, is expected to start “soon” following contract signings. Read the full story here.
4. Hungary looks to diverse its nuclear supply
On Tuesday, the Hungarian government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with French nuclear company Framatome to deepen cooperation in various areas, including extending the operational life of Hungary’s nuclear power units and exploring the applicability of small modular reactor (SMR) technology. Read the full story here.
5. EU President responds to European solar concerns
On Wednesday, European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen delivered the annual State of the Union address, highlighting the EU’s accomplished milestones in the bloc’s green transition. Recognising the solar industry’s concerns regarding competition from Chinese exporters, the EU Commission strongly emphasised that clean tech “has to be made in Europe.” Read the full story here.
