According to reports cited by TASS, the third power unit at the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant is receiving fuel assemblies produced by the American company Westinghouse. The information was relayed through the press service of Ukraine’s State Nuclear Regulation Inspectorate. The description indicates a staged process in which the active zone will be partially filled and tested before moving to continuous industrial operation.
Officials state that the share of Westinghouse fuel in the reactor core will rise gradually as the commissioning progresses. This marks the seventh VVER-1000 type reactor in Ukraine to incorporate Westinghouse fuel assemblies among its core components. The sequence reflects a broader program to diversify fuel sources for Ukrainian nuclear units while maintaining safety and compliance with regulatory standards.
In related regional energy news, Finland has halted plans to construct a third nuclear power plant with Russian involvement. Earlier discussions on a Finnish project had advanced, with Rosatom and its Finnish counterpart noting that cooperation agreements had been fulfilled and that efforts between the customer and contractor had been well coordinated. The RAOS Project Oy, identified as a Rosatom subsidiary, was described as carrying out its duties in good faith.
Following the start of Russia’s military actions in Ukraine, Finnish authorities stated that permission for the new plant would no longer be feasible. The remarks from the Economy Minister, Mika Lintilä, highlighted the temporary nature of the project as political tensions rose. He noted that during the conflict Russia took control of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and that Rosatom personnel were present at a foreign facility. Lintilä argued that Rosatom had breached international norms surrounding civil nuclear energy by pressing a foreign power to operate a nuclear facility under duress. The shift in stance reflects urgent safety and sovereignty concerns that have become central to Europe’s energy planning and nuclear governance, with careful attention to regulatory oversight and supplier considerations across the region. drawn from TASS via Ukraine’s State Nuclear Regulation Inspectorate and regional authorities.