The 3rd International Conference “Problems of Modern Nuclear Energy” Held in Kharkiv
From 15 to 17 April 2026, Kharkiv hosted the 3rd International Scientific and Technical Conference named after V.M. Voyevodin, “Problems of Modern Nuclear Energy,” organized by the Ukrainian Nuclear Society, the National Science Center “Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology,” and V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, with the support of JSC “NNEGC Energoatom” and the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration.
This important professional event was held in a hybrid format and brought together researchers, academics, representatives of Ukraine’s nuclear sector, and international partners to discuss current challenges and prospects for the development of the nuclear field. More than 170 participants registered for the conference, including 60 experts who attended the first day in person in Kharkiv. More than 90 presentations were delivered during the conference.
The event’s partners included leading Ukrainian and international companies and organizations: Energy Safety Group, Khimlaborreactiv LLC, and the NURECAB programme. ENEN Association served as the international information partner.
A conference of this scale demonstrated that even under the extremely difficult conditions of war, Ukrainian science does not stop, but continues to generate solutions that are important for the country’s energy resilience and for the future of the sector.
On 15 April, the conference opened in person in Kharkiv with an official opening ceremony attended by Oleh Syniehubov, Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration; Tetiana Kahanovska, Rector of V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University; Mykola Azarienkov, Acting Director General of NSC KIPT and Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; Ihor Harkusha, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and Academic Secretary of the Department of Nuclear Physics and Energy of the NAS of Ukraine; Volodymyr Kholosha, President of the Ukrainian Nuclear Society; Danylo Lavrenov, First Vice President and Executive Secretary of the Society; Dr Michèle Coeck, President of the European Nuclear Society; and Kateryna Piliugina, Programme Manager of the European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN).
In their speeches, they emphasized the particular importance of science, professional cooperation, and practical solutions at a time when energy security is one of the key factors of national resilience.
In his welcoming remarks, Oleh Syniehubov stressed that energy security today directly determines the resilience of the state. He recalled that after the enemy’s systematic attacks on Ukraine’s energy system in 2022, the country had to not only rethink its approaches to protecting critical infrastructure, but also rapidly implement concrete technical solutions to ensure its stable operation. The Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration emphasized that Ukraine is already building unique experience in energy resilience that is attracting the interest of European partners, and that scientific developments must not remain only in the realm of theory, but must already work in practice to ensure the stable functioning of hospitals, educational institutions, and all critical infrastructure.
Tetiana Kahanovska, in turn, highlighted both the symbolic and practical importance of holding such a conference specifically in Kharkiv. She stressed that this is evidence of the resilience of Ukrainian science, which continues to develop even under extremely difficult conditions. According to her, the conference became a platform bringing together researchers, educators, and international partners to develop solutions that are significant not only for Ukraine, but also for global security and the further development of the nuclear sector.
An important signal of international support also came in the greeting from European Nuclear Society President Michèle Coeck, who highlighted the active role of the Ukrainian Nuclear Society in supporting the professional community, developing international cooperation, and maintaining expert engagement even in difficult conditions. In her welcoming remarks, the Programme Manager of the European Nuclear Education Network underlined the importance of ENEN’s participation in this event, noting that supporting education and science in the field of nuclear energy means supporting people, knowledge, and the future capacity of the sector. This is especially important for Ukraine, where strong scientific and research communities are essential for resilience, recovery, and long-term development.
The programme of the first day covered a number of strategically important areas: materials for nuclear energy, development of Ukraine’s nuclear energy complex, nuclear medicine, improving the safety and efficiency of NPP operation, nuclear, radiation, and environmental safety in radioactive waste and spent fuel management, as well as issues of thermonuclear fusion. Participants paid particular attention to energy resilience under wartime challenges, lifetime management of power units, implementation of advanced technologies, development of small modular reactors, and expansion of nuclear medicine applications.
An important component of the first day was also international educational and scientific interaction, in particular the Information Day of the Euratom Programme in Ukraine. This block was devoted to the development of nuclear education, scientific research, and international cooperation within the European space. The programme included presentations by representatives of FuseNet, the Joint Research Centre, NSC KIPT, the European Nuclear Education Network, and V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. The focus was on support for education in the field of fusion, JRC activities in training and R&D within Euratom, the Euratom Work Programme 2026–2027, and issues related to strengthening Europe’s nuclear workforce and addressing the skills gap.
It is also important that the conference hosted a professional dialogue with colleagues from the Joint Research Centre, the European Nuclear Society, and the FuseNet Association, who emphasized the valuable contribution of Ukrainian nuclear education, science, and youth organizations to the common European goal of strengthening the human capacity of the nuclear sector. This kind of cooperation is now forming the basis for a strong future of the sector built on knowledge, partnership, and trust.
On 16 April, the programme continued online and focused on three major areas. The first half of the day was devoted to materials for nuclear energy, including alloys, zirconium materials, detectors, welding materials, fuel, neutron-physics and thermal-hydraulic calculations, as well as advanced reactor concepts, including small modular reactors. At the same time, within the block on the development of Ukraine’s nuclear energy complex, participants addressed issues of nuclear forensics, new materials, and comparative analysis of reactor types.
Participants also discussed the operation of circulating water supply systems, approaches to water decontamination at nuclear facilities, severe accident analysis, optimization of probabilistic safety assessment, cybersecurity of NPP information and control systems, as well as lessons learned in emergency preparedness and response under wartime conditions. Thus, the second day focused primarily on the engineering, technical, and safety aspects of modern nuclear energy.
On 17 April, the conference also took place online and was structured around a safety-oriented and applied agenda. The morning session covered issues of improving the safety and efficiency of NPP operation, including modelling of processes in fuel rods, control of water chemistry regimes, assessment of personnel reliability, analysis of SMR characteristics, and the resilience of physical protection elements under martial law. A separate block was devoted to long-term operation of power units and ageing management of NPP equipment.
The programme then moved to topics of nuclear, radiation, and environmental safety in radioactive waste and spent fuel management, including technologies for graphite masonry dismantling, radionuclide immobilization, radiation monitoring, and instrumentation for safety assurance. This was followed by discussions on thermonuclear fusion, including the EUROfusion Programme 2026–2027 and plasma studies. The day concluded with a session on public communication in the nuclear sector, which added an important social and communication dimension to the programme.
We thank all speakers, partners, participants, and guests for their meaningful work, professional dialogue, and joint contribution to the development of nuclear energy in Ukraine.
The conference proceedings can be downloaded HERE.
The video recording of the conference livestream is available at the links below:
