France’s Framatome has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Czech power company ČEZ relating to Framatome’s own-design VVER-1000 fuel development programme. “We are pleased to take another step in the development of a Framatome own-design VVER-1000 fuel design, with a view to ensuring the safe, reliable and uninterrupted operation of the VVER nuclear power plants in the Czech Republic and beyond,” said Lionel Gaiffe, Senior Executive Vice President of Framatome’s Fuel Business Unit. “Framatome is the fuel supplier which can guarantee a 100% sovereign European technology, with a fully European design & product, and manufacturing facilities and a fuel component supply chain located and operated in the EU.”
Currently 19 VVER reactors are currently in operation in the European Union, including four VVER-1,000 reactors in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, and 15 VVER-440 reactors in the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary and Slovakia. Framatome says the international context “has accelerated the need for a Framatome sovereign VVER fuel design to reduce the risk of interruption in the supply of critical services and to reduce dependency on imports from outside of Europe”.
Bohdan Zronek, Board Member and Director of the Nuclear Division of ČEZ Group noted: “The first key step to strengthen the energy safety of the Czech Republic taken by ČEZ Group was ensuring fuel deliveries and increasing the number of fuel suppliers. Another step is the collaboration on the new fuel development with Framatome. ČEZ Group has long been focused on enhancing the safety and efficiency of its nuclear power plants, as well as ensuring their operation for at least 60 years. These initiatives are part of our strategy that aligns with our strategic direction.”
The Czech Republic operates six commercial nuclear power units – four Soviet-built VVER-440s at the the Dukovany NPP and two Russian VVER-1000 units at the Temelin NPP, which together provided about 35% of total electricity production. The current units at Dukovany, which were commissioned in 1985-1987, will be decommissioned no later than 2045-2047.
Framatome is advancing the development of a fully European sovereign nuclear fuel product for both VVER-440 and VVER-1000 reactors with the support and cooperation of European VVER utilities. This development of Framatome to ensure full diversification of VVER fuel supply for European utilities is in line with the recommendations of the Euratom Agency for Security of Supply (ESA). Framatome has been working on its own-design fuel for VVER reactors since 2018. The company has three nuclear fuel fabrication facilities: Romans (France), Lingen (Germany) and Richland (US).
Advanced Nuclear Fuels GmbH (ANF) is the operator of the Lingen fuel assembly plant and remains a wholly owned subsidiary of Framatome. Framatome has applied for approval to adapt its fuel The qualification of a new design requires several years as part of the regulatory and usual licensing processes.assembly plant in Lingen to manufacture the hexagonal fuel assemblies for VVER reactors. The application for approval includes minor changes to manufacturing and testing facilities as well as the installation of fewer additional machines and systems in existing buildings to enable the production of these VVER fuel assemblies. However, the project has met with significant opposition from public opinion.
Researched and written by Judith Perera
