Fuel for Partnership
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#22October 2013

Fuel for Partnership

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The second stage of the Chinese NPP is being built by Russian specialists. Not a long time ago the first concreting took place at the site. The negotiations on units 5-8 with the participation of Rosatom are already on. However Russian Corporation can offer China not only plant construction, but its further service as well. Units 3 and 4 are still being constructed, while TVEL fuel company and Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation (JNPC), and China Nuclear Energy Industry Corporation (CNEIC) signed a contract for supply of nuclear fuel for the initial loading of the 3rd and 4th units of the Tianwan NPP, and six complete refueling sets for the 3rd unit of the Tianwan NPP, and a contract for supply of accessories for fabrication of fuel for all 4 units of the Tianwan NPP at the Yibin Fuel Factory. This contract suggests scheduled deliveries of TVS-2M fresh nuclear fuel and accessories until 2025. Total value of the contract amounts to more than $ 1 billion.The modern nuclear fuel modifications ensure the 18-month fuel cycle operation, which is economically profitable.

Since 2011, a pilot batch of six TVS-2M has been loaded into the 1st unit of the Tianwan NPP, China. Following the results of the successful reactor testing in September 2013, the NNSA, Chinese regulatory body, issued a license for operation of modified fuel in Russian-designed reactors at the PRC territory. Due to the profitable cooperation of the Russian and Chinese specialists, and the results achieved during the operation of the pilot batch of TVS-2M at the 1st unit of the Tianwan NPP, the 1st and 2nd units of the Tianwan NPP are scheduled to be converted to the 18-month fuel cycle operation in 2014. The fuel of the new modification of TVS-2M will be used beginning with the first loading of the reactor core in the 3rd and 4th units under construction of the Tianwan NPP.

The TVS-2M has been successfully used in Russia: at the moment all it is used at all units of the Balakovo and Rostov NPPs. TVEL Fuel Company plans the next fuel deliveries for fast breeder research reactor CEFR built near Beijing and put into operation with the participation of Russian specialists in March 2014. The value of deliveries amounts to about $ 60 million.