The first batch of nuclear fuel from US company Westinghouse has arrived at the two-unit Khmelnitski nuclear power station in Ukraine as the country continues its efforts to break away from dependence on Moscow and convert all its reactors to non-Russian fuel.

State nuclear operator Energoatom said all the country’s nuclear power plants are being “completely converted to Westinghouse fuel assemblies”.

“Fresh Westinghouse nuclear fuel for the two Khmelnitski power units with VVER-1000 reactors is already at the station site,” Energoatom said.

“All domestic nuclear power plants will use American fuel assemblies. They will be loaded into the reactors at Khmelnitski this year during scheduled maintenance.”

The two Russia-supplied VVER-1000 units at Khmelnitski, in western Ukraine, had previously operated using Russian fuel.