TVEL Fuel Company produced the first batch of fuel assemblies to be delivered to the Gundremmingen Nuclear Power Plant (Germany) in 2010

According to Wolfgang Kiessling, AREVA NP representative, expert of the Nuclear Fuel Production and Sale Department, the peculiarity of implementation of the GUN Project is that production and supply of the nuclear fuel are performed for two power units – GUN-C and GUN-B – at once. “Mashinostroitelnyi Zavod” has been supplying nuclear fuel to Gundremmingen NPP since 2001. Until now, however, fuel assemblies have been delivered for GUN-B unit only.
The fuel, produced for AREVA NP, is intended for BWRs. AREVA NP specialist noted that “quality of the fuel, produced by “MSZ” OJSC, is invariably good, complies with the customer’s requirements. New equipment, with the purpose of improving the output products, is constantly implemented at the place of production and at the sites”.
Cooperation of “Mashinostroitelnyi Zavod” with AREVA NP Company (then – Siemens/ KWU, since 2001 – with Framatome ANP, since 2006 – AREVA NP) began in 1994 with qualification of the PWR fuel assemblies’ production processes. The first 4 fuel assemblies were produced in 1996 for Obrigheim NPP, Germany. Originally, the fuel was delivered to Germany, than to Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands, and since 2008 – to the United Kingdom. Later an automated line for production of Western-type fuel assemblies was designed and installed at the works. For purposes of the cooperation the fuel assemblies for PWRs and BWRs, designed by German and French specialists, are produced. Today AREVA NP and “MSZ” OJSC have entered into contracts on production of nuclear fuel for several West European NPPs until 2020.