Finnish power company Fortum has successfully transitioned to using nuclear fuel supplied by U.S.-based Westinghouse Electric, marking a significant shift from its previous Russian sources. Fortum’s Loviisa power plant, which has long relied on nuclear fuel from TVEL, a subsidiary of Russia’s Rosatom, began seeking alternative suppliers two years ago in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The new fuel, sourced entirely from Western suppliers, includes uranium, fuel assemblies, and the enrichment process. Fortum’s Loviisa plant, which has two nuclear reactors, is responsible for about 10% of Finland’s total electricity production.
“The loading of the new fuel marks a key milestone, ensuring a dependable Western fuel alternative,” Fortum stated. The first batch of Westinghouse fuel was introduced during the plant’s annual maintenance shutdown in August.
Petra Lundstrom, Fortum’s head of nuclear generation, highlighted that this is the first time Loviisa has used exclusively Western fuel. Despite this shift, CEO Markus Rauramo confirmed that Fortum will honor its existing contracts with TVEL, which extend through 2027 and 2030. While Europe is working to reduce its reliance on Russian energy, including oil and gas, it remains dependent on some Russian materials.
According to Choho, a representative from Westinghouse, while the company can meet all of the European Union’s fuel fabrication needs, Russia continues to dominate in the areas of fuel conversion and enrichment.
In addition to Finland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia are also transitioning to Westinghouse Electric for their nuclear fuel needs.
Last week, Finland introduced the world’s first deep-earth repository designed for the long-term storage of nuclear waste. Named “Onkalo,” the repository will begin storing nuclear waste in 2026. It is located more than 400 meters beneath the surface in southwest Finland’s bedrock, near three nuclear reactors on the island of Olkiluoto, about 240 kilometers from Helsinki. The Onkalo facility employs the “KBS-3” method, developed by Sweden’s Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company. This method uses multiple barriers to ensure that the isolation of radioactive waste remains intact even if one barrier fails.