OREANDA-NEWS. November 09, 2010. TVEL, Rosatom’s Fuel Cmpany has signed a package of contractual documents with JNPC (Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation) and China Nuclear Energy Industry Corporation (CNEIC) Chinese corporations for complete delivery of the TVS-2М nuclear fuel for power unit No. 1 of Tianwan NPP (TNPP) in the amount for six reloads.

The contractual documents also provide for selling of the TVS-2М fuel fabrication technology in order to produce the fuel in China at Yibin Fuel Plant starting with the 7th load of TNPP.

Besides, the parties have signed a contract for supply of Russian zirconium components to produce the UTVS fuel in China for the sixth reload of units 1 and 2 of Tianwan NPP and TVS-2М for the seventh reload of power unit No. 2 of TNPP.

The documents were signed by President of TVEL Fuel Company Yury Olenin, General Director of JNPC Jiang Ghoyuan and General Director of CNEIC Huang Mingang. The total value of the contracts makes approximately USD 500 million.

For TVEL Fuel Company these contracts have become an opportunity to continue the strategic cooperation launched in 1997, when a contract for supply of fuel for TNPP units 1 and 2 was signed, by offering the Chinese party more modern and more efficient TVS-2M fuel.

Under the contract of 1997 TVEL manufactured and supplied UTVS-type fuel in the amount needed for initial loads and three reloads of every power unit of TNPP. The supply of fuel for the third reload of TNPP unit 2 was completed in March 2010. According to the contract of 1997, further manufacture and supply of UTVS fuel for TNPS will be performed by Yibin Fuel Plant that passed final qualification by TVEL specialists early in 2010.

In April 2009 TVEL OJSC and JNPC agreed to transfer TNPS units 1 and 2 to operating with long 18-month fuel cycles, based on the use of a new fuel construction TVS-2M. So far, TVEL and JNPC have agreed on the scope and deadlines of the transfer of technical documentation required to prepare fuel performance justification and to have the fuel licensed while TNPP units 1 and 2 are transferred to operating with long nuclear cycles. Late in April 2010 the companies signed contracts for supply of the first 6 pilot TVS-2M’s, with shipment scheduled to be effected early in November 2010.

Pursuant to the contracts signed this year on November 2, supplies of the Russian TVS-2M fuel for TNPP unit 1 shall start in 2014. Fuel for six reloads of TNPP unit 1 will be produced by JSC Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant, a Fuel Company’s subsidiary.

For TNPP unit 2 the TVS-2M fuel will be produced in China at Yibin Fuel Plant (similarly to the UTVS fuel), using Russian technology and Russian zirconium components to be supplied by 2014.

The parties have agreed that the general contract for construction of the third and the fourth TNPP unit, to be signed on November 2010, will be followed by negotiations regarding supply of fuel for them.