Ukraine’s nuclear operator Energoatom sources Western-produced fuel for its Rivne power plant reactor. The company’s shift to Western fuel for Ukraine’s Soviet-designed NPPs is a key point in Ukraine’s long-term decoupling from Russia, which used to supply nuclear fuel, the UK Defense Ministry says in its intelligence update.
The ministry tweeted:
- On 10 September 2023, Energoatom, Ukraine’s nuclear power plant operator, announced it had a successfully refuelled a reactor at its Rivne Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) using Western-produced nuclear fuel assemblies.
- All of Ukraine’s NPPs have reactors based on Soviet designs and until February 2022 it relied on Russia for nuclear fuel. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has accelerated plans to diversify its supply.
- With nuclear energy supplying approximately half of Ukraine’s electricity, Energoatom’s success in sourcing and installing Western fuel is a major waypoint in Ukraine’s long-term decoupling from Russia whose influence over Ukraine’s energy supply is severely diminished.
Read also:
- Ukraine to produce nuclear fuel that will replace Russian fuel on European market
- US and Europe continue importing Russian nuclear products despite sanctions – Economic Times
- External power returns to occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant following blackout from Russian shelling (updated)
- Russian troops abduct and torture Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant employee – Energoatom
- Russia shelled industrial zone of Southern Ukrainian nuclear power plant – Energoatom