OREANDA-NEWS. April 7, 2008. Use of new types of nuclear fuel – fuel of enhanced enrichment and caseless fuel assemblies of third generation for WWER-440/B-213 reactors – was discussed during a meeting at Kola NPP on Apr 3.

Representatives of TVEL Corporation, Russia’s leading producer of fuel assemblies for nuclear power plants, Hydropress experimental design bureau, Kurchatov Institute, Elemash, Rosenergoatom Concern and Kola Nuclear Power Plant took part in the meeting.

TVEL is an old partner of Kola NPP. For many years the companies have been successfully cooperating on the use of new types of fuel, particularly, under the project to design a caseless fuel assembly of third generation for B-213 reactor. This project is based on the experience of the use of the second generation of fuel assemblies for WWER-440 reactor (TVSA and TVS-2). The assembly has undergone hydraulic, mechanical, durability, vibration and many other tests. This project is supposed to enhance the safety of the use of nuclear fuel and the efficiency of the fuel cycle due to improved neutron-physical characteristics of the core.

The deputy executive director of TVEL Vladimir Molchanov said: “Presently, Kola NPP is enhancing the capacity of its reactors. Capacity enhancement is wide practice today: many foreign NPPs are actively enhancing their capacities and we are actively supporting their efforts. In order to enhance the efficiency of the nuclear fuel cycle, we are suggesting transition to fuel assemblies of enhanced enrichment. We are ready to discuss this project with Kola NPP so as to test it at the plant in 2010. It will be a substantial contribution to the safety of the use of nuclear fuel worldwide.”