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Rosatom completes pilot operation of REMIX fuel TVEL, PUBLISHED 25.03.2026 The third 18-month cycle of pilot industrial operation of REMIX fuel assemblies has been successfully completed at Unit 1 of the Balakovo NPP, a facility of Rosatom’s Electric Power Division. Six Lead-test assemblies (LTA), fully loaded with innovative fuel rods, were placed into the VVER-1000 reactor at the end of 2021. The remaining three of these six assemblies have been recently removed from the core during the ongoing refueling. The assemblies have undergone a standard operational fuel life for Russian VVER-1000 reactors - three 18-month fuel cycles, thus completing the LTA program. The irradiated assemblies have been transferred to the spent fuel pool, where three other assemblies, removed in 2024 after the second fuel cycle, are already stored. The REMIX fuel assemblies will be subsequently sent to the Research Institute of Atomic Reactors in Dimitrovgrad for post-irradiation studies. REMIX pellets have a unique fuel matrix - instead of standard enriched natural uranium, they are made from a mixture of regenerated uranium and plutonium extracted from spent nuclear fuel of VVER reactors. The introduction of such solution is expected to involve in a closed nuclear fuel cycle not only fast neutron reactors, but also conventional light water thermal reactors, which make-up the backbone of today’s nuclear power. This would significantly expand the resource base for nuclear energy and allow for the reuse of irradiated fuel rather than long-term storage. “Having completed the Lead-test rods and then the Lead-test assemblies program, we have now accumulated almost about ten years of REMIX fuel operation in a commercial. Post-irradiation studies will enable us to qualify and, for the first time, introduce uranium-plutonium VVER fuel to the market. The next step will be operation of assemblies containing depleted uranium and up to 5% plutonium. Thus, we are developing a complete product range in the concept of the Balanced nuclear fuel cycle - from regenerated uranium to various uranium-plutonium compositions,” commented Alexander Ugryumov, Senior Vice President for Research and Development at TVEL (the management company of Rosatom’s Fuel Division). “The pilot operation of REMIX fuel has been conducted in strict coordination with the regulator and under the supervision of the specialists from Rosatom’s Fuel Division. After each cycle, fuel rods and structural elements were inspected using the TV camera of the refueling machine. No deviations were detected during operation, neutron-physical and service characteristics remained within design limits,” noted Yuri Ryzhkov, Deputy Chief Engineer for Safety and Reliability at the Balakovo NPP. Other news: 415 nuclear units are operating in the world, 72 units are under construction Taipingling-1 connected to the grid. CNNC Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Unit 2 begins operation Plant serves as starting point for large-scale deployment of Hualong Ones. Tianwan Nuclear Power Unit 7 completes hot functional test Hot functional test is conducted prior to fuel loading. |
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