Pilot operation of fifth-generation uranium-plutonium fuel begins at Novovoronezh NPP

The activities will last more than four years and will cover three fuel cycles

Nuclear fuel of the new TVS-5 design was loaded for the first time at power unit No. 6 of the Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant with a VVER-1200 reactor. This fifth-generation fuel was developed as part of a program to transition to a closed nuclear fuel cycle.

The planned fuel loading was carried out during scheduled maintenance, which was completed three days ahead of schedule. Thanks to this, the power unit additionally generated about 73 million kWh of electricity.

The fuel will be tested for three fuel campaigns lasting 18 months each. The new design provides improved burn-up and resource characteristics, as well as expanded spent fuel reprocessing capabilities.

Read materials on the topic:

A batch of TVS-5 innovative fuel design was loaded into the VVER-1200 reactor at the Novovoronezh NPP

One of the power units of the Novovoronezh NPP was taken out for scheduled maintenance

Repair of power unit No. 6 was completed ahead of schedule at the Novovoronezh NPP