Finland's Fortum starts using U.S. nuclear fuel in bid to reduce Russian dependence
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LOVIISA, Finland, Sept 2 (Reuters) -Finnish utility Fortum FORTUM.HE said on Monday it has successfully started using nuclear fuel from U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric as it seeks to replace Russian nuclear fuel at its Loviisa power plant in Finland.
"The loading of the new fuel is a significant milestone that guarantees a reliable Western alternative for fuel," Fortum said in a statement, adding that the first batch from Westinghouse had been loaded during the power plant's annual outage in August.
"The safe and reliable operation of our Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant is crucial for Finland's security of supply," it said.
The Loviisa site has depended on nuclear fuel it sources from TVEL, a subsidiary of Russian state-owned power company Rosatom, but Fortum began looking to replace the Russian fuel in 2022 after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Fortum's two nuclear reactors in Loviisa account for around 10% of Finland's total power production. The Nordic country has expressed concerns over potential interruptions in fuel deliveries from Russia after its decision to join NATO last year.
Fortum's CEO Markus Rauramo said on Monday the company would respect its existing contracts with TVEL, which are running until 2027 and 2030.
Reporting by Anne Kauranen and Elviira Luoma in Loviisa, editing by Stine Jacobsen and Louise Rasmussen
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