Ukraine will establish nuclear fuel production to replace Russian fuel on European market - Ukraine’s Energy Minister 

This was announced by Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, the ministry's press service reports.

Ukraine has already begun production of components for VVER-1000 fuel units, and will subsequently start producing fuel for VVER-440 units. The project is being implemented by nuclear energy generating company Energoatom in cooperation with the American company Westinghouse.

"Unfortunately, many European countries remain dependent on Russian nuclear technology. At the same time, Ukraine, having abandoned Russian nuclear fuel, has switched its nuclear power units to nuclear fuel from the American manufacturer Westinghouse. The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Finland, and Bulgaria have also expressed a desire to make this transition. And in the future, Ukraine may become a supplier of nuclear fuel to these countries," Halushchenko said.

According to the minister, licensing is planned to be completed in 2023, and commercial production of fuel cartridge heads is expected to start in 2024. These components will be used to produce nuclear fuel for Energoatom's needs at the Westinghouse plant in Vesterås, Sweden.

"Ukraine is a world leader in nuclear energy. And today our nuclear experts together with American partners are working to oust Russia from the global nuclear technology market," emphasized Herman Halushchenko.

Energoatom President Petro Kotin added that according to the plan, the company plans to create its own nuclear fuel production line in three years.