By KYIV. Sept 14 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The success of Ukrainian nuclear power plant operator Energoatom in refuelling a reactor at its Rivne Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) using Western-produced nuclear fuel assemblies is a major waypoint in ensuring energy security, the UK Ministry of Defense said, citing intelligence data.
As detailed in the Twitter post, all of the Ukrainian NPPs have reactors based on Soviet designs and until February 2022, Ukraine relied on Russia for nuclear fuel supplies. 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,” the intelligence said.
