Russian TVEL to introduce new fuel at Dukovany NPP in the Czech Republic

Moscow, July 30 - Neftegaz.RU. TVEL and Czech national power company ČEZ have signed a contractual document for introduction of the new VVER-440 fuel modification RK 3+ at Dukovany NPP.

Within accomplishment of this engineering project, the new fuel will undergo a number of pre-irradiation tests, and their results would make a validation for the following licensing of the fuel by the Czech State Office for Nuclear Safety.

The project will also consider the operations experience of the prototype of such fuel at power unit 4 of Kola NPP in Murmansk region (Kola Peninsula), where it has been successfully used since 2010.

RK 3+ bundle is distinguished from the previous generations of VVER-440 fuel by its advanced design which enables to enhance physical and thermo-hydraulic properties of nuclear fuel.

Along with other features, the new modification has longer fuel rod pitch which would streamline water-uranium ratio in the reactor core and increase the efficiency of fuel use in general. As the result, the engineers will have an option of elongation of the fuel cycle at the power plant.

“The new project of switching Dukovany NPP to RK 3+ fuel will facilitate the optimization of the plant fuel cycle strategy, also increasing safety and economic efficiency of the power units operation,” said Alexander Ugryumov, VP for Research and Development at TVEL.

Together with Temelin NPP, ČEZ NPPs produce about 35% of the national electricity output, making the Czech Republic one of the top 10 countries with the largest share of nuclear power in the energy mix.

Both of Czech NPPs have been operated with Russian nuclear fuel manufactured by TVEL’s Machine-Building Plant since their commissioning.

To read the article in Russian.