KYIV (Reuters) – Ukraine has signed a deal for the U.S. nuclear energy firm Westinghouse to provide gasoline to all of its atomic energy stations in an effort to finish the nation’s reliance on Russian provides, Ukraine’s state nuclear firm mentioned on Friday.

The settlement additionally will increase the variety of new nuclear items Westinghouse will construct to 9 from an earlier 5, and the corporate will set up an engineering centre within the nation.

Ukraine has 4 working nuclear energy stations, the biggest of which, in Zaporizhzhia, fell below Russian management days after the Russian invasion started in February however continues to be operated by Ukrainian technicians.

Constructing on earlier agreements, the cope with Westinghouse stipulates that the corporate will provide gasoline to all of Ukraine’s atomic vegetation.

Nuclear energy covers round a half of all Ukrainian electrical energy wants and the vitality minister mentioned that in future Ukraine may be a provider of electrical energy to western Europe.

“We are going to modernise our fleet of nuclear energy items, which can produce clear, secure and dependable vitality with none Russian affect,” Power Minister Herman Halushchenko mentioned, in keeping with an announcement by the state atomic vitality firm Energoatom.

Energoatom on Thursday denied a report that it would shut down the Zaporizhzhia plant if Kyiv loses management of operations on the website.

Ukraine has repeatedly raised security considerations in regards to the plant since Russia’s invasion started on Feb. 24. On Friday, it warned that it was operating out of spare components.