(MENAFN) Despite sanctions and export restrictions related to the Ukraine conflict, the European Union has increased its imports of nuclear fuel and services from Russia in the last two years, as reported by a UK-based news agency on Friday, citing the Euratom Supply Agency (ESA).
The report indicates that the EU continues to depend on supplies for operating Russia-designed VVER reactors utilized by Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, and Slovakia.
Last year, the five states saw a 30 percent increase in purchases of conversion services and a 22 percent increase in enrichment for their reactors compared to 2021. According to Stefano Ciccarello from the ESA, they are likely to surpass their 2021 import levels this year. The exact figures, however, were not disclosed.
“Those [EU members] that are not reliant on Russia are trying to further reduce any such dependence. On the other hand, there are those fully dependent on Russian fuel who are increasing fuel stocks as contingency for any break in supplies before alternative fuel is licensed,” Ciccarello reported to a news outlet.
Around 10 percent of the European Union's energy consumption comes from nuclear power, with France, Sweden, and Belgium being among the largest producers in the bloc.
As of now, Brussels has not imposed sanctions on Russia's nuclear sector. However, some EU member states have proposed the idea of including restrictions on imports of nuclear fuel from Russia in the next round of punitive measures. It's important to note that imposing sanctions at the EU level requires unanimous agreement from all 27 member countries. Hungary and Slovakia have consistently emphasized their opposition to restrictions on Russian nuclear imports.
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