OREANDA-NEWS. On June 18-21, 2007 Mashinostroitelny Zavod (MSZ) in Elektrostal, Moscow Region, was visited by representatives of Finnish utility Fortum and regulatory authority STUK to inspect fabrication of fuel to be delivered to Finnish Loviisa nuclear power plant in 2007, reported the press-centre of TVEL.

Specialists from Finland visited fabrication lines and inspected stages of fuel fabrication for VVER-440 reactors of Loviisa; the inspection included a check up of the process documentation. In particular, they familiarized with fabrication processes of powder, pellets and fuel rods, as well as component parts of fuel assemblies.

Foreign partners showed interest in a new automated line for fabrication of VVER-440 fuel rods which employs a pallet-based feeding of pellets to charge fuel rods. The line has been designed and manufactured by MSZ (with imported component parts).

Positive results of the working meeting were reflected in the final document to state that no inconsistencies of products to the contractual documentation requirements had been revealed during the inspection of process certificates and fabrication process.

The TVEL Corporation’s winning bid for supply of nuclear fuel to Finnish Loviisa nuclear power plant until 2030 has made the Elektrostal-based Mashinostroitelny Zavod the fuel rod producer for the second generation VVER-440 reactors.