Rosatom starts shipment of nuclear fuel to India for the second phase of the Kudankulam NPP

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TVEL, PUBLISHED 07.12.2025

The Nuclear Fuel Division of Rosatom (managed by TVEL JSC) has delivered the first delivery of nuclear fuel for the initial loading of the VVER-1000 reactor at Unit 3 of the Kudankulam NPP.

The cargo flight successfully delivered fuel assemblies manufactured by the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (an enterprise of the Rosatom's Nuclear Fuel Division).

A total of seven flights from Russia to India are planned to supply the entire reactor core and some reserve fuel.

The shipments are provided under the contract signed in 2024, which includes fuel supply for units 3 and 4 of the Kudankulam NPP for the entire service life starting from the initial loading.

During the operation of the two power units of the first phase of the Kudankulam NPP, Russian and Indian engineers have done considerable amount of work to increase their efficiency through the introduction of advanced nuclear fuel and extended fuel cycles.

Starting from 2022, the Kudankulam NPP is supplied with nuclear fuel of the TVS-2M model. It provides more reliable and cost-effective reactor operation due to its rigid design, a new generation anti-debris filter and a increased mass of uranium.

Its introduction has also enabled elongation of the fuel cycle of the reactors from 12 to 18 months, so the power units are being stopped less frequently for fuel re-load and generate more electricity.

The facilities of the second stage of the Kudankulam NPP will become the first in history VVER-1000 power units to be launched already in an 18-month fuel cycle.

This is the result of successful cooperation in recent years between Rosatom's Nuclear Fuel Division and Indian partners, as the efficient solutions that had been previously implemented at similar power plants in Russia and China were introduced at the two operational Kudankulam power units.

Throughout the entire operational life of nuclear power plants, Rosatom not only supplies nuclear fuel, but also provides engineering services, increasing the efficiency of power units introducing new fuel and fuel cycle solutions.

Topics: NFC, Asia, India, NPP Koodankulam, TVEL

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