TVEL has announced the first delivery to India of the improved TVS-2M nuclear fuel, which will increase the economic efficiency of the 2 operating units of the Kudankulam NPP, built with the participation of Russia.
Company theses:
- In comparison with the UTVS fuel, which was previously supplied to the Kudankulam NPP, fuel assemblies of the TVS-2M are more reliable and cost-effective.
- During the next scheduled preventive maintenance at Power unit No. 1, fuel will be loaded for the first time for operation in an 18-month cycle (previously the fuel cycle was 12 months).
TVEL has executed an agreement with the Indian Atomic Energy Corporation (Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited; NPCIL) to introduce more modern fuel, as well as to justify the operation of existing power units in an 18-month fuel cycle.
Compared with the UTVS fuel, which was previously supplied to the Kudankulam NPP, fuel assemblies of the TVS-2M have a number of advantages:
- Thanks to the welded frame, the fuel assemblies in the reactor core retain their geometry, the location of the spacing grids protects the fuel element shells from fretting wear, preventing their depressurization, and an additional spacing grid makes the fuel assemblies more vibration-resistant.
- One fuel assembly of the TVS-2M contains 7.6% more fuel compared to the UTVS.
- The fuel cartridges are equipped with an anti-freeze filter of the latest generation ADF-2, which effectively protects the fuel assemblies from the so-called debris damage associated with the ingress of foreign elements into the reactor core.
Operation in long fuel cycles increases the economic efficiency of nuclear power plants: the power unit stops less often to overload fuel and generates more electricity. In addition, the amount of purchased and, as a result, spent nuclear fuel is reduced, the handling of which also requires costs.
Fuel TVS-2M is effectively operated in an 18-month fuel cycle at the Balakovo and Rostov NPP, as well as at the operating power units of the Tianwan NPP in China. Cassettes with an anti-freeze filter ADF-2 also showed good results at the Rostov NPP.
India's problems in the energy sector forced the authorities to introduce an emergency measures law on May 6, 2022, which provides for the transfer of all coal-fired power plants to full capacity. Indian Coal India Limited has announced the 1st international electronic tender for the supply of 2.416 million tons of coal to ensure sufficient fuel supplies to power plants in the country.
The country has not banned the import of Russian oil and gas, unlike a number of Western countries, but on the contrary, is increasing the volume of imports of cheap Russian oil.
MOSCOW, Neftegaz.RU, E. Svintsova
