Ukraine to lift dependency on Russian nuclear fuel in 2-3 years

KIEV, Feb 5 (PRIME) -- Ukraine plans to end its dependence on Russian nuclear fuel in two to three years, Energy and Coal Industry Minister Vladimir Demchishin said Friday at a meeting of a committee of the Verkhovna Rada, the country’s parliament.

“We will actively work in the nuclear industrial segment and cut dependence on supplies of nuclear fuel. This, as I see it, is the last direction in which Ukraine significantly depends on Russia. But I am sure that we will solve the issue in two or three years,” he said.

Previously, Demchishin said that in 2015 Russian supplies of fuel exceeded exports from the U.S. by 12 to one ratio, while in 2016 the ratio will stand at five to eight.

Russian nuclear fuel producer TVEL, part of nuclear power corporation Rosatom, is currently the main supplier of nuclear fuel to Ukrainian plants. In 2014, Kiev signed an agreement with Westinghouse on imports of nuclear fuel from the U.S. until 2020 to diversify the supplies.

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