Climate and environment minister Kai Mykkänen (NCP) on Saturday said that the Loviisa nuclear power plant reactors are no longer dependent on new shipments of Russian nuclear fuel.
The Loviisa power plant, owned by Finnish majority-state-owned energy firm Fortum, is in the process of switching to western-produced fuel, according to Mykkänen.
"The Loviisa reactors are no longer dependent on new nuclear fuel from Russia," Mykkänen, who oversees energy matters, told Yle.
He said the plan was to use up all stocks of Russian fuel. Last month, Fortum announced it was seeking a western fuel supplier for the Loviisa reactors.
Russia has historically been a top energy supplier to the world economy, with Europe — including Finland — continuing to purchase liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia.
Around ten percent of gas in Europe comes from Russia, according to Mykkänen, who emphasised a decrease in these shipments over the past two years.
Russia is now shifting its energy exports from Europe to places like Turkey and India.
More nuclear power
The government is also making new plans for nuclear power, according to Mykkänen.
Finland faced a nuclear power setback when the construction of the Pyhäjoki power plant in partnership with Russian state-owned power firm Rosatom became unfeasible due Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Mykkänen said the government is open to both the construction of smaller modular reactors as well as large facilities supplying electricity to the whole country.
Finland's newest nuclear facility, the Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor in Eurajoki, came online last spring after 14 years of delays.
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