Framatome to supply VOYGR fuel handling and storage equipment
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Framatome is partnering with American Crane to design the fuel handling equipment that will transport fuel assemblies within the NuScale plant. It said the features of the VOYGR fuel handling equipment will build on proven Framatome designs with additional enhancements to fully perform remote fuel handling.
Framatome is also partnering with Orano to adapt high-density used fuel rack designs to address the unique requirements of the VOYGR plants. Utilising experience from fuel rack designs across the nuclear industry, Framatome and Orano will "bring best-in-class teams to ensure optimised design and subsequent fabrication in support of NuScale's construction schedules".
NuScale said the contracts mark a "critical supply chain and manufacturing development step, as NuScale fulfills customers' project timelines to deploy its groundbreaking technology by the end of the decade".
"NuScale is proud to strengthen our relationship with Framatome, a renowned and widely respected international leader in nuclear energy," said NuScale Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nuclear Officer Dale Atkinson. "This agreement showcases how NuScale's technology is meticulously developed with a premier international nuclear design and fabrication organisation."
Catherine Cornand, senior executive vice president of the Installed Base business unit at Framatome added: "These awards build on our partnership as NuScale's fuel assembly supplier and signify an important opportunity with NuScale and its industry-leading VOYGR power plant. We are deeply rooted in the nuclear industry with proven expertise to assist in developing the next generation of advanced nuclear plants for a transition to clean energy."
NuScale and Framatome have been cooperating since 2014. Framatome noted the new contracts build on the support it provides for NuScale related to engineering services and licensing analyses required for standard design approval by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
The NuScale Power Module, a pressurised water reactor with all the components for steam generation and heat exchange incorporated into a single 77 MWe unit, is the first SMR design to receive approval from the NRC. A 12-module VOYGR-12 power plant is capable of generating 924 MWe; the company also offers four-module VOYGR-4 (308 MWe) and six-module VOYGR-6 (462 MWe) power plants, as well as other configurations based on customer needs.
The NuScale Power Module will be powered with standard light water reactor fuel in 17x17 configuration, each assembly 2 metres in length. It will have a refueling cycle of up to 24-month with fuel enriched at less than 5%.
