Russian nuclear fuel prepared for Kudankulam NPP Unit 4

A full initial core load of nuclear fuel has been manufactured for Unit 4 of the Kudankulam NPP in India. The work was carried out by the Machine-Building Plant in Elektrostal, part of Rosatom's fuel division.

The manufactured products underwent acceptance control with the participation of representatives of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India, after which their readiness for further delivery to the construction site of the power unit was confirmed.

Since 2022, the plant has been using TVS-2M nuclear fuel – an improved modification of fuel assemblies for VVER reactors. The design features increased rigidity, is equipped with a new generation anti-debris filter, and allows for a larger amount of uranium compared to previous solutions.

The transition to TVS-2M has already allowed increasing the continuous operation duration of Kudankulam NPP power units from 12 to 18 months. Thanks to this, the plant requires fewer shutdowns for fuel reloading, and the volume of electricity generation increases.