Rosatom to be Excluded from Ukrainian Nuclear Reactor Project Decision

According to Russian media sources, Ukraine intends to sign an agreement on the construction of two new nuclear power plants by the end of this year.  Ukraine’s Prime Minister has reportedly indicated that Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy giant, Rosatom, will be excluded from the bidding process.  There is informed speculation the Ukrainian contract will probably be awarded to Westinghouse/Toshiba.  This is the first such occasion that Rosatom has been eliminated from a nuclear plant tender for political reasons, stemming from Moscow’s open military intervention in eastern and southern Ukraine, but it may not be the last.