ENERHODAR (Ukraine)/MOSCOW, October 21 (RIA Novosti) - Ukraine expects to sign a long-term contract for Russian nuclear fuel supplies before the end of the year, the country's deputy energy minister said on Wednesday.

The current contract with Russian state-controlled nuclear fuel supplier TVEL runs out next year.

"Our position is that it should be signed as soon as possible," Natalya Shumakova said, adding that the contract was to have been signed in October, but was delayed. She did not say why it was delayed.

TVEL Vice President Vasily Konstantinov previously blamed the delay on Ukrainian authorities.

Ukraine has four nuclear power plants with a total generation capacity of 13.835 GW, which accounts for more than half of Ukraine's total capacity.

TVEL, which currently controls 17% of the world's market of fuel for nuclear power plants, said on Tuesday it plans to increase its share to 25% by 2030.

The company supplies fuel to 76 power generating reactors and 30 research reactors worldwide.