Thus the unit was converted to 18 months operation fuel cycle. Back in October, 2010, Rosatom’s fuel company TVEL, Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation (JNPC), and China Nuclear Energy Industry Corporation (CNEIC) signed a contract for supply of TVS-2M nuclear fuel for unit 1 of the Tianwan NPP in six refueling sets. The contract also suggests passing of the fuel production technology to China, so it further could be produced at the Yibin Fuel Factory, started from the seventh refueling of the Tianwan NPP. The total sum of contracts signed in November 2010 was about $500 million. In 2013 they 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 unit 3. This contract suggested scheduled deliveries of TVS-2M fresh nuclear fuel and accessories until 2025. Total value of the contract amounted to more than $1 bln.

This February unit 1 of the Tianwan NPP, within the limits of agreements achieved, is converted to 18 months fuel cycle operation. Modified holders were loaded in a total load factor volume. TVS-2M modified fuel has higher application properties and operation characteristic. This fuel is being successfully used in Russia; today all units of the Balakovo and Rostov NPPs are working on it. “In order to raise competitiveness of the TVEL fuel the first thing we are trying to do is provide high quality, efficiency and effectiveness of its usage. This kind of fuel provides safe operation of the VVER-1000 reactor system in long fuel cycles, due to improved mechanical characteristics and increased uranium load. As a result of this, the installed capacity utilization factor grows, which means, economically the operation of the Tianwan NPP now is more profitable” – comments Alexander Ugriumov, the head of the “Development and improvement of nuclear fuel and power-reactor cores” project.

The fuel was produced at Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (part of TVEL). Starting from 2014 the TVS-2M modernized fuel for unit 2 of the plant will be produced at the Yibin Fuel Factory, using Russian accessory equipment. In November 2013 Rosatom’s fuel company TVEL loaded TVS-2M fuel for the seventh refueling of unit 1 of the plant. Currently at the station there are two types of fuel assemblies under operation – TVS-2M and UTVS. Also the deliveries of modified fuel for unit 1 were contracted from 2013 to 2022. Negotiations with Chinese party concerning further deliveries are planned to be started again in several years.