21.11.2007 // Press service of TVEL OJSC

TVEL has presented mock-up model of new Russian nuclear fuel TVSA-T for Temelin NPP

The mock-up model of new Russian fuel TVSA-T for Temelin Nuclear Power Plant was presented to journalists at Škoda JS a.s. in Plzeň (OZM group) on Nov 21. The fuel has been sent to the Czech Republic for hydraulic testing. This is an important stage of the preparations for the supply of TVSA-T to Temelin NPP starting from 2010. The Russian fuel is to replace the fuel of Westinghouse company (the United States).

TVSA-T is a modification of improved Russian fuel TVSA (fuel assembly of alternative construction) for WWER-1000 reactors. This fuel is highly efficient and deformation resistant due to a number of innovative engineering solutions (the so-called stiffener, mixing grid and built-in anti-debris filter) and uranium-gadolinium fuel, which allows reactors to work under changing capacity.

TVSA has been successfully used by Kalinin NPP (Russia) since 1998. Presently, over 60% of WWER-1000 reactors (16 nuclear power units in Russia, Ukraine and Bulgaria) work on TVSA. The use of TVSA helps to reduce refueling and maintenance periods.

TVSA-T constitutes a four meter long hexagon, where one puts fuel elements with uranium dioxide pellets. One TVSA weighs almost 750 kg. The mock-up model has the same parameters. The only difference is that in the mock-up the pellets inside fuel elements are made of lead rather than uranium.

The mock-up has already undergone mechanical, thermal and hydraulic tests at OKBM (Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia). Now, the results of the tests will be rechecked at Škoda JS a.s. and, then, submitted to the State Regulatory Authority of the Czech Republic for licensing.

The fuel was sent to Plzeň because the local plant has a special system (“hydraulic loop”), the same system that tested Westinghouse’s fuel in 1993–1994. So, it will be possible to compare the results of the tests.

The tests will be carried out in Dec 2007-Mar 2008. After being tested, the mock-up will be sent to Russia for thorough analysis. In the autumn 2008 TVSA-T will be sent back to Temelin NPP so the local personnel can learn to operate it.

In 2006 TVEL won an international tender for the supply of fuel to Temelin Nuclear Power Plant (the Czech Republic). TVSA-T will be supplied to that plant starting from 2009. The fuel is produced by Elemash (Mashinostroitelny Zavod, Elektrostal), which is part of TVEL Corporation.