Framatome’s GAIA fuel assemblies with PROtect Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel (E-ATF) technology recently completed their third 18-month fuel cycle at unit 2 of Georgia Power’s Vogtle NPP. This marks a lifecycle of operation of the first full-length PROtect E-ATF fuel rods with both pellets and cladding in an operating pressurised water reactor.
Framatome said that, after operating for more than four and a half years, this concludes the assessment of the four E-ATF GAIA lead fuel assemblies (LFAs) concept and supports licensing activities to achieve market readiness.
The GAIA fuel assemblies consist of Framatome’s advanced chromium coating added to the state-of-the-art M5 Framatome zirconium alloy cladding, and chromia-enhanced fuel pellets. The chromium-coated cladding improves high-temperature oxidation resistance and reduces hydrogen generation in the unlikely event of loss of cooling. The coating also offers increased resistance to debris fretting, reducing the likelihood of a fuel failure during normal operations.
Southern Nuclear, which operates the Vogtle NPP, removed and inspected the four LFAs with Framatome’s assistance following Cycle 23 at unit 2. It was determined that the fuel demonstrated expected results and excellent performance. This was the last of three 18-month cycles of operation for the LFAs, which began in April 2019.
“This is a significant milestone for our programme and through our collaboration with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and Southern Nuclear we bring this new and innovative technology one step closer to commercial operations,” said Lionel Gaiffe, Senior Executive Vice President, Fuel Business Unit at Framatome. “The success of this project demonstrates accident tolerant fuel readiness for the safe and reliable generation of our clean energy future.”
Framatome’s PROtect E-ATF programme is supported by funding from DOE. Since 2012 DOE supported the development of ATF concepts through its Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel programme. In 2018, DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy awarded a total of $111.2m in funding to three industry partners to General Electric, Framatome and Westinghouse to develop accident tolerant fuels.
The GAIA LFAs were fabricated at Framatome’s manufacturing facility in Richland, Washington as part of this programme. Each fuel assembly included four lead test rods, for a total of 16 lead test rods with Framatome’s advanced chromium coating added to the M5 Framatome zirconium alloy cladding, and chromia-enhanced fuel pellets were included in all fuel assembly rods.
