Czech Dukovany plant to shut down fourth unit, use next-generation fuel for first time

The Dukovany nuclear power plant will use more efficient, next-generation fuel for the first time. The new fuel will be loaded into the reactor of the plant’s fourth unit, which is scheduled to be taken offline on Friday. The unit will remain out of service until the end of this year while some of its fuel is replaced with fresh fuel, routine inspections are carried out and equipment is upgraded. Plant spokesperson Jiří Bezděk told CTK today. The other three Dukovany units will continue generating electricity.

As part of the planned work, plant staff will remove all 349 fuel assemblies from the reactor. After servicing is complete and all inspections have been carried out, they will return some of the used fuel to the reactor along with 78 fresh fuel assemblies. For the first time, these will be PK3+ fuel, whose design allows uranium in the fuel to be used more efficiently, according to the spokesperson.