European energy firms partner with Framatome to develop nuclear fuel for Russia-designed reactors (updated)

Fortum Oyj

09/04/2026 08:57

Updates throughout

HELSINKI, April 9 (Reuters) - Four energy companies in Finland, Hungary, Slovakia and Czechia have signed a deal with French nuclear power services company Framatome to develop European nuclear fuel for Russian-designed reactors, Finnish utility Fortum FORTUM.HE said on Thursday.

The agreement targets VVER-type reactors, including Fortum's Loviisa plant in Finland, Fortum said in a statement.

VVER reactors were designed in Russia, using Russian fuel.

There are 19 VVER type reactors operating in the European Union, Framatome said in a separate statement.

Framatome said it aims at manufacturing its first own-design lead fuel assemblies starting from 2028, with regular deliveries expected to start in the early 2030s

The fuel would be designed and manufactured entirely in Europe, with fabrication carried out at Framatome's facilities in France and Germany.

Fortum and other owners of Russian-designed reactors have sought alternatives to Russian nuclear fuel since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Fortum began loading U.S.-supplied Westinghouse fuel at its Loviisa plant in 2024 but continues to source some fuel from Russia under existing contracts.

 (Reporting by Essi Lehto and Forrest Crellin, editing by Terje Solsvik)

 ((essi.lehto@thomsonreuters.com; +358 50 541 2375))