Sweden: Framatome and Vattenfall sign contracts for the delivery of fuel assembly reloads

Framatome will deliver, between 2021 and 2024, 10 reloads of fuel assemblies to the Swedish nuclear power reactors Forsmark 3* and Ringhals 3 and 4*, operated by Vattenfall. The contracts include additional options for two reloads for each reactor after 2024.

Regarding the fuel reload of the Forsmark plant, the contract also provides, besides the use of the known ATRIUM 10 XM boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel design, the access to the new ATRIUM 11 fuel design, which is the leading BWR fuel design technology commercialized in the last years by Framatome. For Ringhals, the company will provide the “GAIA” pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel design.

Vattenfall can thus rely on Framatome’s proven and performant fuel designs. Both fuel assembly types, ATRIUM 11 and GAIA, feature high economic performance, more safety margins, greater flexibility in operations with an established track record in various reactor designs.

The fuel assemblies will be manufactured at Framatome’s facility in Lingen, Germany.

“The new contracts strengthen our position in the Nordic market. Once again we proved our ability to provide competitive fuel for diverse reactor designs and to grant our customer great flexibility regarding products and schedule at the same time”, said Lionel Gaiffe, Senior Executive Vice President of Framatome’s Fuel Business Unit.

* Forsmark 3 is a boiling water reactor with an installed net capacity of 1,167 megawatts. It was connected to grid in 1985. The plant is located on the Swedish East coast. Ringhals 3 and 4 are pressurized water reactors with an installed net capacity of respectively 1,064 and 1,130 megawatts. Grid connection took place in 1980 and 1982. Ringhals 3 and 4 are located on the Swedish West coast.