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Kyiv, on February 11th, Reuters reported that Ukraine's parliament approved a law allowing the state nuclear power operator to acquire two Soviet-designed nuclear reactors from Bulgaria for the Khmelnytskyi power plant.

In response to the loss of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Ukraine aimed to purchase the reactors from Bulgaria last June but lacked the necessary legislation to proceed. The law passed does not specify the contract's value; however, Ukrainian officials mentioned that Bulgaria had previously estimated the cost at $600 million.

Despite objections from some politicians regarding the purchase of Russian equipment at undisclosed prices during the ongoing conflict, the law was ratified. Ukrainian officials stressed that acquiring the reactors would enable the commissioning of the first unit in two to three years, significantly alleviating energy shortages caused by attacks on energy infrastructure by Russian missiles and drones.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the approval of the reactors, boasting a capacity exceeding two gigawatts, a pivotal achievement for ensuring Ukraine's energy security. Zelenskiy emphasized the potential of reduced dependence on imported energy during winter months through the new reactors.

Furthermore, expanding nuclear capacity was highlighted as beneficial for Ukraine's participation in various projects, including a proposed rare earths initiative by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Following the shutdown of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster-affected construction of Khmelnytskyi's third and fourth reactors in the 1980s, Ukraine now heavily relies on nuclear power from three operational plants with a total of nine reactors, including two at the Khmelnytskyi facility. Nuclear power currently meets around 60% of Ukraine's energy demands.