Rosatom’s TVEL Fuel Company will develop a new modification of nuclear fuel for the nuclear plant in Paks. The contract to this effect has been signed with Hungarian company MVM VM Paks NPP Ltd. It provides for the development of modified second generation fuel assemblies for VVER-440 reactors. The new fuel modification to be developed by engineers of TVEL Fuel Company will have an increased uranium capacity and optimized hydro-uranium ratio as compared to the assemblies currently in use. This will improve cost efficiency of the nuclear plant’s operations while maintaining the current fuel cycle length.

Paks NPP is the only nuclear plant operating VVER-440 reactors with an extended 15-month fuel cycle. Nuclear fuel supplied to the Hungarian power plant is manufactured at Elemash (TVEL’s fuel fabrication unit in Elektrostal near Moscow). The contracts signed between TVEL and the Hungarian party provide for nuclear fuel supplies for all the four 440 GWe reactors of Paks NPP till the end of their service life.

“Important is that our Hungarian partner pays much attention to every possibility of improving efficiency of our nuclear fuel and actively takes part in developing technical aspects of the project. TVEL Fuel Company views research and innovation as its priority and offers its customers the latest modifications of nuclear fuel with improved performance and efficiency,” says TVEL President Natalia Nikipelova.

The Paks Nuclear Power Plant was built by Soviet engineers in 1974–1987, with its four reactors generating over 40% of power consumed in Hungary. Paks is one of the world’s safest and most reliable nuclear stations. In late 2014, Russia and Hungary signed an agreement to construct Units 5 and 6 with the most advanced Russian-designed VVER-1200 reactors compliant with the strictest ‘post-Fukushima’ safety standards (the project is also known as Paks-2). The European Commission gave a green light to Hungary’s most important energy project. Just recently, it came to the conclusion that the project drew no illegitimate support from the government as being otherwise profitable and competitive. Paks II is also confirmed to have the rate of return that is comparable with rates available on the local financial market. According to Brussels, the Paks II project adheres to the principles and facilitates the performance of the Euratom Treaty. Hungary’s nuclear capacities also serve interests of the European Union and make power supplies to its member states more reliable. Two nuclear reactors to be constructed at Paks will replace 4 existing units that will remain in operation until the 2030s.

For reference

TVEL Fuel Company is a global leader in nuclear fuel fabrication and uranium enrichment services. Its share in the global nuclear fuel market is 17%. Jointly with TENEX, the company provides 36% of global uranium enrichment services.