OREANDA-NEWS. Following inspection by the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority, the operating license for the second power unit of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant was extended for 20 years till 31 December 2034.

This means that TVEL will remain a fuel supplier of Paks NPP for the entire service life of its power units under the contract made in 1999 with the MVM Group.

According to Paks Director IstvЁўn Hamvas, the new fuel with a higher U-235 content produced by TVEL, the only Russian nuclear fuel manufacturer, will increase the fuel cycle from 12 to 15 months. Russian engineers in association with Hungarian experts drafted a new set of technical documents required to obtain a license for the new fuel to be used at Paks NPP. The fuel will increase electric power output and reduce maintenance costs of refueling.

"Thanks to our reliable partners abroad, such as MVM and Paks NPP, we have an opportunity to get a broader view of global fuel development trends, analyze them and offer new solutions to be implemented both on the national and international scale," says TVEL Vice President Petr Lavrenyuk. "With its extensive R&D potential and production capacity, TVEL Fuel Company is able to manufacture high-quality and reliable fuel compliant with the highest international standards. Improved fuel burn-up in the reactor core and increased efficiency of the uranium utilization is a current consumer requirement. This task has been solved at Paks NPP by introducing the new fuel with a higher U-235 content and an extended 15-month fuel cycle. The entire energy system will operate more efficiently."

Paks NPP is the only Hungarian nuclear power plant launched in 1982. Its four VVER-440 reactors produce 50% of total power generated in the country.

Starting from 2015, Paks NPP will begin a gradual transition to the fuel with 4.7% of U-235 and a 15-month fuel cycle. The new fuel will first be used alongside with the standard 4.2% U-235 fuel. The second generation fuel has a proven track record in Russia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Finland.