Czechs learn to handle nuclear fuel for new dukovany units in seoul

Czech specialists are learning to handle the fuel that South Korean company KEPCO Nuclear Fuel will supply for the new units at the Dukovany nuclear power plant. Twenty-four people are taking part in the training in Seoul. Alice Horáková, spokesperson for Elektrárna Dukovany II, announced this in a press release today.

The supply of fuel for several years of operation is part of the contract to build two plant units. Fuel is expected to be loaded into the first of them in 2036.

“With the expected expansion of nuclear energy, demand for specialist know-how in Europe will grow, including in the area of nuclear fuel. The Czech Republic has for several years cooperated with major global fuel manufacturers, France’s Framatome and the US company Westinghouse, and has extensive experience and knowledge of fuel for VVER-type reactors. It will now gain expertise in another advanced fuel technology, which will increase the attractiveness of our companies’ services for foreign firms,” said Petr Závodský, CEO of Elektrárna Dukovany II.

Twelve employees of Elektrárna Dukovany II travelled to Seoul, along with three people from ČEZ, five from Energoprojekt Praha and four from the Institute of Nuclear Research Řež. Their current training is the first of four planned sessions. The others will take place in 2029, 2030 and 2031.

Four VVER 440 nuclear units are operating at Dukovany. They were commissioned between 1985 and 1987. VVER 1000 reactors operate at the two units of the Temelín nuclear power plant. The new Dukovany units will be APR1000 reactors. They are expected to be commissioned in 2036 and 2037.

Dukovany currently uses Russian TVEL fuel. Last year, the plant received its first fuel from Westinghouse, with another delivery due this year.

The contract to build the two new Dukovany units was awarded to South Korea’s KHNP.