Ukraine's State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate has allowed Energoatom national nuclear operator to test nuclear fuel produced by U.S.-based Westinghouse in another reactor, on the condition that certain requirements are observed.
A corresponding decision was sealed in a resolution by the inspectorate’s board dated July 19, 2011.
In particular, the regulator allowed the loading of the fuel into the second unit of Yuzhnoukrainsk nuclear power plant.
Energoatom is to develop a feasibility study on the simultaneous use of fuel supplied by Westinghouse and Russia’s TVEL. Moreover, the company is to develop a program to check the Kruiz intrareactor monitoring system, which controls the active zone when the U.S.- and Russian-produced fuel is used simultaneously. The regulator also instructed the nuclear power plants’ operator to introduce a program to monitor the impact of the fluence of fastneutrons on the reactor pressure vessel.
In order to start using Westinghouse’s fuel at the fifth unit of Zaporizhia NPP, Energoatom is to arrange additional training for the plant’s personnel on the safe joint use of fuels supplied by Westinghouse and TVEL.
At the same time, the regulator ruled inadmissible the use of Westinghouse’s fuel in the first reactor of Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP due to the drastic difference in the design of this reactor to those that are currently using this fuel.
As reported, Westinghouse launched commercial shipments of nuclear fuel to Ukraine under a contract with Energoatom.
In 2011, it is to supply three batches of fuel, including 42 fuel rod arrays each, which are to be loaded into the second and third reactors at Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP and the fifth reactor of Zaporizhia NPP.
The fifth reactor of Zaporizhia NPP will be loaded with the fuel in 2012, in keeping with the maintenance and repairs schedule.
