International Cooperation in Development and Supply of Nuclear Fuel for Czech NPPs

International Cooperation in Development and Supply of Nuclear Fuel for Czech NPPs

Vladimír Hlavinka

Chief Production Officer

«ATOMEXPO 2009»

27th May 2009

International Cooperation in the Nuclear Fuel for Czech NPPs2

Czech NPPs

Temelín 2x VVER 1000 type V-320

Dukovany 4x VVER 440 type V-213


The Czech Power Company (ČEZ) owns two NPP's :

Temelín two reactor units - VVER 1000/320

(designed installed capacity 1,962 MWe) the first unit went into trial operation in 2000, the second in 2002 both reactors are in regular operation, end of operation in 2040/2042 current projects - improvement on the secondary side (~ 1,020 MWe)

- 2010 change of fuel supplier

Dukovany four reactor units - VVER 440/213

(designed installed capacity 1,760 MWe) the first unit went into operation in 1985, the last in 1987 assumed shut down in 2025/2027 current projects - uprating ( 500 MWe)

- I&C modernization - Long Term Operation ( year 2035)

Czech NPPs


I. Dukovany – Fuel Cycle

Nuclear Fuel purchase for Dukovany

procurement alternatives:

1. utilisation of the Czech mined uranium (DIAMO), rest of services supplied by the supplier

2. purchase of the fuel including all services


I. Dukovany – Fuel Cycle

fuel assembly: core contains 349 hexagonal fuel assemblies each assembly consists of 126 rods (~ 1 kg of uranium per rod) assembly is enriched to average 4.38% 235U (Gd-2M, working

fuel assembly) E110 (Zr-1%Nb) is used as a cladding material manufactured by JSC “Mashinostroitelny zavod” (TVEL)

casks CASTOR 440/84 for spent fuel fabricated by GNS


I. Dukovany – Modernisation

original fuel cycle: from the 80’s 12-month cycle with reload of 116 FAs (3-year cycle) enrichment 1.6 %, 2.4% and 3.6% burn-up up to 30,000 MWd/tU

modernised fuel cycles: fuel with gadolinium absorber Gd-1 (2003) Gd-2M (2009) 12-month cycle with reload of 72 FAs (5-year cycle) enrichment 4.25% and 4.38% burn-up up to 55,000 MWd/tU



modernisation higher burn-up and decreasing number of fresh fuel assemblies



modernisation elongation of fuel cycle [EFPD]


II. Temelín – VVantage 6

fuel supplier WESTINGHOUSE:

assemblies manufactured in Columbia Anatech’s technical expertises

uranium deliveries from all over the worldincluding Czech Rep.

conversion services from CAMECO,Areva (COMURHEX)…

enrichment – USEC, Urenco,Areva (Cogema), Atomenergoprom…

diversification strategy



fuel assembly: core contains 163 hexagonal fuel assemblies each assembly consists of 312 fuel rods (~ 1.6 kg of

uranium) max. allowed 235U enrichment 4.95% (+0.05%) ZIRLOTM is used as a cladding material Average Reload Batch ~ 42 FA’s

casks CASTOR 1000/19 for spent fuel to be fabricated by GNS



VVantage 6 VVantage 6 mod. 1

minor modifications VVantage 6 Phase 0

Top Nozzle and Guide Tube design changes (to allow higher Fuel Assembly growth and to provide stiffer skeleton in the dashpot area)

VVantage 6 Phase 1 Fuel Rods, Guide Tubes, Instrumentation Tubes material change,

Zircaloy-4 → ZIRLOTM (to reduce growth, improvement of corrosion performance)

Stiffer skeleton (to reduce Fuel Assembly Bow) Top Grid peripheral cell sizes tolerance changed (to reduce peripheral Fuel Rod

Bow)

VVantage 6 Phase 1X Vaneless Mid Grid material change, Zircaloy-4 → Alloy-718, top grid

design used (to reduce Grid-to-Rod-Fretting)

• Phase 1 and Phase 1X changes were finally introduced together, however they are licensed as different fuel design



design changes fuel behaviour improvement, IRI elimination


II. Temelín – TVSA-T

Nuclear Fuel Contract with Westinghouse Electric Company for fuel fabrication to 2010 (last delivery)

2004 - Tender (BID) for New Fuel Supplier WEC TVEL

2006 - TVEL was awarded the contract For period 2010 ÷ 2020

Currently TVSA-T Development Program is ongoing, first TVSA-T fuel delivery and in-core loading → summer 2010, Unit 1


II. Temelín – TVSA-T

development program design reports methodologies licensing documentation (support in licensing

process of TVSA-T, mixed core) coordination of subcontractors

(KIAE, OKBM, VNIINM) tests, analyses (mechanical tests performed

also by Škoda JS) experience of operational at Unit 1 of Kalinin NPP dummy assembly (instruction for handling)


III. International communication

With fuel supplier (Westinghouse, TVEL) continual cooperation on fuel and fuel cycle improvement development programs in case of new fuel design introduction (cooperation

also with prominent Czech organizations, which provide ČEZ with independent analysis of various technical and licensing related issues - ÚJV, ŠJS, ÚJP,…)

Fuel manufacturing quality inspections, check and surveillance ČEZ contracts independent organisations to inspect and supervise

manufacturing process (Anatech, NAC Stoller, KPI)

Membership in international organizations World Nuclear Association (WNA) World Nuclear Fuel Market (WNFM) World Association of Nuclear Operators TUG


III. International communication

Cooperation with nuclear field oriented companies – ANT International, NAC International ČEZ is a member of several groups and programs, which provide to ČEZ

up-to-date nuclear field related information and trends, e.g.• COPAG – Core Performance Assessment Group• ZIRAT – Zirconium Alloy Technology Program

International Cooperation in Development and Supply of Nuclear Fuel for Czech NPPs

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