Jill Hruby, the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the U.S. Department of Energy and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, visited Westinghouse Sweden in Västerås, Sweden, on March 17.
Administrator Hruby met with Patrick Fragman, President and Chief Executive officer of Westinghouse Electric Company, and together they toured Westinghouse’s Västerås fuel fabrication facility, a vital contributor to the world’s clean energy supply chain and a new source of nuclear fuel for legacy Soviet reactors in Ukraine and elsewhere in the world.
Westinghouse employs more than 1,000 people in Sweden and supplies nuclear fuel to more than 30 reactors in Europe, where its largest customers are France and Ukraine. The annual production of nuclear fuel at Västerås contributes to a reduced carbon dioxide load in Europe by approximately 200 million tons – as much carbon dioxide as the whole of Sweden emits over four years. Westinghouse is currently the only non-Russian supplier of fuel for Russian-designed VVER-440 and VVER-1000 reactors.
“We strongly support nuclear power generation, which is a key component of a future built on clean energy,” said Hruby. “At the same time, shortcomings in the nuclear supply chain as a result of Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine have become apparent. Facilities like Westinghouse’s are key to keeping nuclear power plants operating, and operating safely, around the world.”
The safe, secure, and peaceful expansion of civil nuclear energy is a central part of the U.S. strategy to meet its goals of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Many countries are also looking to expand or adopt nuclear technology as a means of providing zero-carbon electricity.
“We wish to thank Administrator Hruby and her team for visiting our unique fuel fabrication facility in Västerås and seeing first-hand the completed VVER-440 test fuel assemblies produced in the plant,” Fragman said. “DOE and NNSA are critical partners in helping Westinghouse meet the energy security goals of countries across Europe and beyond.”
While in Sweden, Hruby also consulted with senior officials at the U.S. Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The trip included a visit to Norway.
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