OREANDA-NEWS. The solemn ceremony of transfer to the customer the 3,000th fuel assembly (FA) which was made in the partnership with the Franco-German company Areva was held in Mashinostroitelny Zavod (included into ROSATOM Fuel Company TVEL) on September 27.

JSC MSZ Director General Oleg Sedelnikov, TVEL Department Director Leonid Yanko, Areva Vice president Ingo Coban, Alpik Holding Inc. Executive Director Michael Plaszow and Herbert Meinecke, Director of Gesgen NPP, on which 3,000th fuel assembly will go, gave a welcoming speech at the ceremony.

As Oleg Sedelnikov stressed in his speech that the 3,000th fuel assembly issue for the JSC MSZ Areva partner company is a very important momentous event in the life of the enterprise. Mashinostroitelny Zavod and Areva collaboration began in 1994 with the qualification process of manufacturing Areva NP type fuel assemblies for PWR reactors. The first four fuel assemblies were manufactured in 1996 for the NPP Obrigheim, Germany. Thus, next year our partnership will already be 20 years old! These 20 years have been marked by productive interaction based on mutual respect, considering each other's interests, striving for continuous products improvement and comprehensive development “- he said.

Further JSC MSZ Director General pointed out that currently 10 NPP PWR and BWR reactors in Western Europe operate by Mashinostroitelny Zavod fuel. “Our active cooperation continues! I heartily congratulate all of us on today's wonderful event - the 3,000th FA issue! Together we can implement projects of any complexity, release products of consistently high quality and traditional reliability! “- summed up Mr. Sedelnikov.

In turn, TVEL Department Director Leonid Yanko said that the partnership between JSC MSZ and the Areva Company, based on mutual respect and striving for continuous development give reliable results and inspire confidence in the joint achievement of the highest goals.

For his part, Areva Company Vice-President Ingo Coban said that 100 refueling in Western European reactors have been carried out in the cooperation with Mashinostroitelny Zavod. “Nuclear energy is the clean form of energy, which is so necessary for people all over the world. This means that employees of the nuclear industry are making life on the Earth more pleasant. We really appreciate and proud of our cooperation! I am sure that over time we will celebrate the 4,000th and the 5,000th FA issue! “- he said.

In his welcoming speech NPP Gesgen Director Herbert Meinecke said that after visiting the JSC MSZ production units he became convinced of the reliability and high quality of products manufactured here. “Very soon, this fuel assembly will be operated in the reactor core of our NPP; each tablet will be involved into electricity generation. I have seen the FA made for our station, and realized that the Mashinostroitelny Zavod supplies the highest quality products “- he said.

The signing of the symbolic certificate about 3,000th fuel assembly transfer to the customer made by the JSC MSZ under contract with the Areva Company was the handover ceremony result. The certificate was signed by JSC MSZ General Director Oleg Sedelnikov, Areva Vice president Ingo Coban and Gesgen NPP Director Herbert Meinecke.