Areva to supply fuel for Taipower BWRs

Friday, 1 August 2008

Areva has signed a contract with Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) for the long-term supply fuel assemblies for the Chinshan and Kuosheng nuclear power plants.
 

Atrium-10XP BWR fuel assembly (Image: Areva)

Under the contract - worth more than $200 million - Areva will supply fuel assemblies for each of the two General Electric boiling water reactors (BWRs) at both plants. The contract, covering 12 years, could be extended for three optional reload batches for each of the four units. In addition, Areva will provide core monitoring system assistance, as well as the fabrication service, reload fuel design, licensing analysis and operation support.
 

The contract is the conclusion of a tender launched in June 2007. Under the tender, Areva offered to supply a fuel design based on the Atrium-10A model that it is currently supplying to Taipower. Areva's latest generation Atrium-10XM will be the optional design for future supplies.
 

The two 604 MWe units at Chinshan began operating in 1978 and 1979 respectively. The larger 948 MWe units at Kuosheng started up in 1981 and 1983. Taipower also operates two 890 MWe Westinghouse pressurised water reactors (PWRs) at Maanshan, which began operating in 1984 and 1985. Two 1350 MWe Advanced Boiling Water Reactors (ABWRs) under also construction at Lungmen.