Ukraine's Energoatom considering purchasing uranium hexafluoride from Canada's Cameco

MOSCOW. Dec 22 (Interfax) - Ukraine's Energoatom and Canada's Cameco have discussed the possibility of the former purchasing uranium hexafluoride from the latter for the production of nuclear fuel for Ukraine's nuclear power plants, Ukrainian media reported, citing an Energoatom announcement on Telegram.

The two parties considered the matter during an online meeting between Energoatom president Pyotr Kotin and Cameco CEO Tim Gitzel.

"They [Kotin and Gitzel] discussed the possibility of supplying uranium hexafluoride, which will ensure the production of nuclear fuel for Ukraine's nuclear power plants. During the meeting, they also discussed the importance of long-term cooperation between Energoatom and Cameco until 2035," according to the statement.

According to Energoatom, cooperation would ensure safety when supplying nuclear fuel to Ukraine's NPPs. Moreover, cooperation between the companies is important as part of improving the efficiency of uranium production at Ukraine's VostGOK, according to the statement.

Energoatom and Cameco signed a memorandum of understanding in the nuclear energy sector in September 2019, the goal of which was to develop cooperation in the production and supply of nuclear materials and nuclear fuel.

Cameco is one of the world's largest suppliers of uranium concentrate, or yellow cake. The company's share in producing uranium was 9% of global output at the end of 2021.

The head of Energoatom, the State National Nuclear Energy Generating Company of Ukraine (NNEGC), and Boris Shukhta, CEO of the international company Urenco, on December 19 discussed the matter of ramping up supplies of enriched uranium to U.S. Westinghouse for producing nuclear fuel for Ukraine's NPPs during 2024-2025.

Energoatom is pursuing a policy of diversifying supplies at different stages of the nuclear fuel cycle for the production of nuclear fuel.