BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) – With the help of the USA, the EU wants to become more independent of the Russian nuclear industry. In order to reduce dependence on nuclear materials and nuclear fuel cycle services, the intention is to expand cooperation, the Union and the United States announced on Tuesday after an EU-US energy council in Brussels. Furthermore, EU countries that are already broadening their range in operating their nuclear power plants are to be supported.
For example, the Czech Republic announced last week that it intends to completely dispense with the purchase of fuel elements from Russian production for its nuclear power plants from 2024.
The background to the plans is likely to be long-standing calls for EU sanctions against the Russian nuclear industry. They are also supported by countries like Germany, but have so far not been able to be enforced due to the great dependence of other countries. Countries such as Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic used Russian fuel elements in their nuclear power plants until recently. French nuclear companies in particular still have close ties to partner companies in Russia.
Services in the field of the nuclear fuel cycle include, for example, uranium enrichment, but also the disposal of radioactive substances./red/DP/he