Framatome has announced that the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has agreed to review a topical report on High Burnup for Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) submitted in November 2024. The report supports Framatome’s GAIA and HTP fuel designs, enabling increased fuel burnup to boost operational efficiency and flexibility for nuclear plant operators.
Submission of the report is part of Framatome’s Advanced Fuel Management (AFM) programme, which focuses on developing innovative nuclear fuel technologies that include uranium oxide (UO2) pellets with higher enrichment levels and methodologies that support higher fuel burnups. Framatome said these solutions provide safe, reliable and economical fuel cycles and support cycle length extensions from 18 to 24 months for a large segment of the US reactor fleet. By extending fuel burnup capabilities, plant operators can optimise fuel utilisation, reduce waste and support the continued generation of clean and sustainable energy.
Ala Alzaben, Executive Vice President of the North America Fuel Business Unit at Framatome. noted: “Building on decades of expertise, these technologies enhance performance for nuclear plant operators, address today’s energy challenges and ensure long-term sustainability.”
NRC recently approved the application of Framatome’s suite of PWR Advanced Codes and Methods to operating conditions with U-235 enrichments exceeding the standard of 5 wt%. Additionally, NRC also approved a licence amendment allowing Framatome to transport fresh PWR and BWR fuel assemblies within the US with U-235 enrichments up to 8 wt%.
GAIA, Framatome’s most advanced PWR fuel technology, and HTP, Framatome’s high thermal performance fuel, are used in reload quantities in the USA and Europe. These will be manufactured at Framatome’s facility in Richland, Washington.
