2. Experience of fuel operation at Russian NPPs N.M. Sorokin, Yu.V. Kopyov, V.E. Khlentsevich, А.К. Egorov N.M. Sorokin, Yu.V. Kopyov, V.E. Khlentsevich, А.К. Egorov

3. 2 Russian NPPs 103123242 10 NPPs, 31 units, N installed. = 23242 MW

4. 3 Output of Russian NPPs in 1992-2015 (considering the activities aimed at output improvement, without grid restrictions for Kola NPP from 01.01.2009, and both taking into account commissioning of new units and without it)

5. 4 Load factor at Russian NPPs in 1992-2015 Load factor at Russian NPPs in 1992-2015 (according to the output forecast)

6. 5 Total capacity of different type NPP units - 23242 МW

7. 6 Annual consumption of fuel assemblies - 4196 pieces

8. 7 Annual consumption of the enriched uranium - 605 tons

9. 8 Annual consumption of the natural uranium - 3711 tons

10. 9 Main targets of Rosenergoatom in the area of fuel use  Enhancement of the fuel operation reliability and safety  Improvement of the fuel operation efficiency  Increase of the electricity generation  Enhancement of the fuel operation reliability and safety  Improvement of the fuel operation efficiency  Increase of the electricity generation

11. 10 Data on the fuel operation 1. Monitoring of the operational parameters:  Fuel burn-up;  Operational life;  Integrity of the fuel elements;  Deformations of the fuel assemblies;  Load cycles. 2. Post-reactor studies:  Study of the fuel damage causes;  Justification of the fuel burn-up improvement;  Justification of the implementation of the new generation fuel assemblies.

12. 11  Operational life up to 6 years;  Average fuel burn-up to 68 MW – day/kg U;  Improved bending rigidity;  Operational reliability value ~ 10 -6 1/year;  Portable design;  Decrease in the number of the distance lattice;  Improvement of the uranium content;  Application of the anti-debris filters;  Application of the mixing lattice intensifiers. Main areas in the fuel improvement for VVER-1000

13. 12 Main stages in implementation of new fuel types at VVER-1000 1994 SFA (UGT) 1993 Zirconium distance lattices and inserts 1998 AFA 2003 FA-2 2006 FA-2М and AFA-ALPHA 2006 FA-2М and AFA-ALPHA

14. 13 Modification of main design fuel features for VVER-1000 DesignSFAAFAFA-2AFА- ALPHA FA-2М Maximum burn- up, МW·day/kg U 49 55 68 Maximum operation life, effective hours 30000 315003000040000 Number of the load cycles 70 115 118

15. 14 Average burn-up of the unloaded fuel at VVER- 1000, МW*day/kg U

16. 15 Specific consumption of the natural uranium at VVER-1000, kg U/МW*day

17. 16 Maximum burn-up of the unloaded fuel at VVER- 1000 NPP units, МW*day/kg U NPPUnit200420052006 Balakovo NPP SFA, FA-2 144,743,945,4 245,949,044,4 345,042,845,1 445,648,645,8 Kalinin NPP AFA 155,758,662,2 247,047,148,1 Rostov NPP SFA 139,942,944,7 Novovoronezh NPP «Casing» 549,0-49,5

18. 17 Maximum operation life of the unloaded fuel, effective hours NPPUnit200420052006 Balakovo NPP SFA, FA-2 1237362407224600 2299282954424000 3232323052823592 4296402973623880 Kalinin NPP AFA 1405364305649752 2284882988030168 Rostov NPP SFA 1217622875228344 Novovoronezh NPP «Casing» 525344-26808

19. 18 Relative number of the damaged fuel elements unloaded at VVER-1000 NPP units, 10 -5

20. 19 Main areas in the fuel improvement at VVER-440  Operational life up to 6 years ;  Average fuel burn-up to 53 МW·day/kg U ;  Improved operational reliability (vibration resistance bundle, anti-debris lattices, upgraded conjunction facility) ;  Portable design ;  Application of the zirconium coating with decrease concentration of hafnium ;  Improvement of water-uranium relation ;  Elongation of the pellet active part.

21. 20 Main stages of implementation of the new fuel types at VVER-440 1998 pellets with uranium-hafnium pellets 1995 pellets with enrichment 3,82% 2000 vibration resistance pellets 2002 pellets of the 2-nd generation

22. 21 Modification of the main fuel design features at VVER-440 Design4.4% non- standard 3.82%4.4% standard with uranium- hafnium fuel Vibration resistance pellets 2-nd generation pellets Maximum burn-up (designed), МW·day/kg U 28,945,442,148,157 Maximum burn-up (achieved), МW·day/kg U 31,549,045,953,457 (design)57 (design) Maximum operation life 3 years 5 years4 years5 years9 years (7 if EP) 44430 effective hours if EP Number of the load cycles 30 start-ups, 60 EP actuations 30 start-ups, 60 EP actuations 30 start-ups, 60 EP actuations 30 start-ups, 60 EP actuations 30 start-ups, 60 EP actuations 50 start-ups, 100 EP actuations

23. 22 Average burn-up of the unloaded fuel at VVER-440 (2- nd generation), МW*day/kg U

24. 23 Specific consumption of the natural uranium at VVER-440 (2- nd generation), kg U /МW*day

25. 24 Relative number of the damaged fuel elements unloaded at VVER-440, 1-st stage, 10 -5

26. 25 Relative number of the damaged fuel elements unloaded at VVER-440 units, 2-nd stage, 10 -5

27. 26 Characteristic of fuel reliability by WANO indicator VVER-1000 World average VVER-440 of the 2- nd generation

28. 27 Post-reactor studies of fuel assemblies Type of the fuel assembly Reactor type Number of the fuel assemblies Maximum burn-up, МW  day/kg U Maximum operation life, effective days SerialVVER-10001555,551268,60 SFAVVER-1000748,501212,90 CasingVVER-1000546,80882,00 AFAVVER-1000455,301082,00 RKVVER-440856,501872,00 RК with distance lattice VVER-440538,101110,00 ARK with distance lattice VVER-440150,501514,00 Vibropacked FABN-600310,60560,00 Serial 2,4 %, 2,6%RBMK- 1000 1231,0011,6 лет

29. 28 CONCLUSION 1.Implementation of new fuel designs and fuel cycles improved the efficiency of fuel use at NPPs and allowed to improve load factor. 2.The task of the energy output growth at the existing NPP units will be resolved by reactor thermal power uprating, improvement of the turbine effectiveness and transition to operation with increased inter-outage intervals.

30. 29 Main objective of the coming stage Growth of the electricity generation at the operating NPP units

31. 30 Organizational and statutory documents on the electricity generation growth 1.Concept of the program on upgrading of the operating NPPs for the period 2007-2012 approved by S.V. Kirienko, Head of Rosatom; 2.Program of the electricity generation growth at the operation NPPs of Rosenergoatom for 2007-2015 approved by V.V. Travin, Deputy Head of Rosatom; 3.Subprogram of thermal power increase at VVER-1000 units for 4 %; 4.Subprogram of thermal power increase at RBMK-1000 units for 5%. 5.Subprogram of thermal power increase at VVER-440 units for 7 %; 6. Subprogram of transition for 18-months fuel cycle at VVER-1000 units.

32. 31 Main areas in electricity generation growth 1.NPP power uprating; 2.Implementation of 18-months fuel cycles at VVER-1000 units; 3.Minimization of maintenance outage durations; 4.Increase of inter-maintenance cycles at RBMKs.

33. 32 Equivalent NPP power uprating, GW Activities aimed at the NPP power uprating

34. 33 Schedule of the activities on rated power uprating to 104% at pilot NPP unit (Balakovo NPP, unit 2) 2009Commercial operation at 104 % 2008Pilot operation at 104% with testing performance 2008 Upgrading of control, monitoring and protection systems. Adjustments 2007 Design finalization. Development of the justification documents (Feasibility study, ecological expertise, license amendments) 2006Performance of the safety justification activities 2004- 2005 Analysis of the possibilities and elaboration of the work program 100% 104% - completed

35. 34 2011 Transition to the fuel cycle of  480-510 effective days 2010 Elongation of the campaign duration to  430-450 effective days 2008 Commencement of transition to 18-months fuel cycle (campaign duration  400 effective days) 2007 Development of the safety justification for operation of the unit during 18-months fuel cycle. Elaboration of the licensing documents 2006 Commencement of FA-2M pilot operation (with the elongated fuel column) 2005Transition to the fuel cycle of 350-370 effective days 2003 Commencement of FA-2 pilot operation (with rigid frame) 10-12 мес. 18 мес. - completed Transition to the 18-months fuel cycle of the pilot unit (Balakovo NPP unit 1)

36. 35 Generalized schedule of the activities on power uprating of VVER-440 to 107% (Kola NPP unit 4) from 2010 Commercial operation of the reactor unit at 107% power 2009Pilot operation of the reactor unit at 107% power Outage- 2007, 2008, 2009 Upgrading of the unit equipment and systems 2008-2009 Development of the justifying and permitting documents (safety case, ecological expertise, license amendments) 2007-2008 Design finalization and performance of the safety justification activities 2006-2007 Analysis of the possibilities and elaboration of the work program 100% 107% - completed

37. 36 Generalized schedule of the activities on thermal power uprating of Kursk NPP unit 1 to 105% 2009 Operation at 105% 2008 Pilot operation at uprated power 2008 Performance of the tests in accordance with the program of gradual unit thermal power uprating with completion of the measurements on justification of the forecast features of the systems and design characteristics of the reactor installation 2007-2008 Elaboration of the justification for licensing of the thermal power uprating, performance of the technical activities 2005-2006 Development of the programs and action plan on thermal power uprating at RBMK-1000 2004-2005 Assessment of possibilities for RBMK-1000 operation at the uprated power 100% 105% - completed