Ukraine's Energoatom partially loads Rivne NPP-3 unit with Westinghouse fuel
MOSCOW. July 7 (Interfax) - Energoatom, operator of Ukraine's nuclear power plants, has partially loaded Westinghouse fuel assemblies into the reactor core of unit No. 3 of the Rivne NPP.
"So far, we are talking about partial loading of the reactor core with American fuel, which will undergo trial operation, after the successful implementation of which the commercial operation will begin. The increase in the share of fuel from Westinghouse in the reactor core of power unit No. 3 of the Rivne NPP will take place in stages - annually, until it is fully equipped with fuel from the American manufacturer," the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate said in statement.
RNPP-3 is already the seventh of 13 Ukrainian nuclear power units of the VVER-1000 type, which use Westinghouse fuel assemblies.
Six power units of Ukrainian NPPs have been operating on Westinghouse fuel until now, as part of the nuclear fuel diversification program for VVER-1000 reactor plants. They are Pivdennoukrainsk or South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant NPP-2 and 3 and Zaporizhia NPP-1, 3, 4 and 5.
"No violations of the conditions for the safe operation of power units were recorded at the VVER-1000 reactors during the operation of Westinghouse fuel assemblies during 2015-2022," the regulator said.
In addition, the inspectorate has begun a state appraisal of the nuclear and radiation safety of materials justifying the introduction of an alternative Westinghouse fuel assembly for VVER-440 reactors, which are used at power units No. 1 and No. 2 of the Rivne NPP.
"It should be noted that the introduction of fuel assemblies manufactured by Westinghouse, as well as any new modification of nuclear fuel for Ukrainian nuclear power plants, is clearly governed by regulatory documents on nuclear and radiation safety. These documents define the successive steps that the operating organization must take, each of which is carefully analyzed and controlled by the regulator - from a conceptual solution for the introduction of a new fuel to commissioning," the regulator said.