In 2016, Ukraine will get more than a third of nuclear fuel from Westinghouse / Photo from UNIAN
In early 2016, Yuzhnoukrainka NPP will conduct tests of upgraded TVS-WR nuclear fuel produced by US-Japanese Westinghouse, which has been used for about a year in the Power Unit 3, according to deputy chief engineer for nuclear and radiation safety, Dmytro Sokolov, an UNIAN correspondent reports.
"After we complete the tests of the fuel in early 2016 and see how it had performed throughout 2015, the decision will be taken whether to load it into the other reactors," said Sokolov.
Sokolov recalled that Yuzhnoukrainka NPP was selected as as a pilot site to test the possibility of introducing upgraded Westinghouse nuclear fuel at all Ukrainian nuclear power plants.
Sokolov also said that a special stand will be used during tests,where the inspection of fuel assemblies will be carried out for deformation and other deviations after the first year of use.
According to Sokolov, Westinghouse experts are also welcome to take part in the inspection.
Read alsoWestinghouse to supply Ukraine one third of needed nuclear fuel in 2016 As UNIAN reported earlier, Yuzhnoukrainka NPP has successfully completed in March of this year loading the upgraded TVS-WR fuel manufactured by Westinghouse at the Power Unit 3. In April, this unit was connected to the country’s power grid.
In 2016, Zaporizhia NPP plans to load the first batch of Westinghouse fuel at its Power Unit 5.
UNIAN memo. Cooperation between the Ukraine’s Energoatom and Westinghouse was initiated in the framework of an intergovernmental agreement between the US and Ukraine from 2000 on the qualification of nuclear fuel for Ukraine and continued under the commercial contract, signed in 2008. Energoatom has been developing cooperation with Westinghouse to diversify the supply of nuclear fuel for Ukrainian nuclear power plants.