KYIV, Dec 22 – DTEK energy holding sees great potential in the development of small modular reactors (SMRs) and the prospect of their construction on existing sites of coal and gas thermal power plants, Dmytro Sakharuk, executive director of the holding, says.

"We see this technology as a replacement for existing thermal power plants, because the country must phase out coal in 2035. We understand that this will happen. And in any case, Ukraine must provide itself with power. There will only be little wind and sun, because this capacities that require balancing, and there must be base generation that will operate regardless of weather conditions," he said during NV's annual event Ukraine and the world ahead 2024 on Thursday.