Russia's Kursk Nuclear Power Plant Loads Improved Nuclear Fuel for the First Time

Recently, Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) announced that the loading of the first batch of improved low-erbium-oxide-content nuclear fuel assemblies (TVS PSE) into the RBMK-1000 reactors of Units 3 and 4 at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant has been successfully completed, with official permission obtained from the Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Nuclear Supervision of the Russian Federation.

It is reported that the new fuel was developed and produced by the Machine-Building Plant (MSZ) in Elektrostal, a subsidiary of Rosatom. Denis Pereguda, Deputy Chief Engineer for Safety at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, stated that the fuel composition optimization scheme is based on independent calculations by leading nuclear research institutions such as NIKIET, and can increase nuclear fuel utilization efficiency by approximately 5% while extending the service life of the graphite stack, significantly enhancing the reactor's self-protection and control parameters.

In order to maximize resource utilization, the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, while loading TVS PSE, has also reused fuel assemblies removed from shut-down and decommissioned units that are still within their specified service life. In addition, the introduction of the new fuel creates the necessary conditions for the plant to continue efficient production of cobalt-60 (Cobalt-60) isotopes for industrial and medical use.

Andrey Osharin, Acting Director of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, emphasized that the modernization of operating units and the transition to new fuel are key measures for implementing Russia's "technological sovereignty" strategy and will provide solid support for Rosatom's national strategic goal of "increasing the share of nuclear power in Russia's energy mix to 25% by 2045."