EU to fund development of fuel for VVER-440 reactors, also operated by Czech utility ČEZ

The European Union will contribute 10 million euros (approx. CZK 249 million) from the Euratom Research and Training Programme to the “rapid and safe development and deployment of a European fuel solution” for VVER reactors. The fuel will be developed and supplied by Framatome.

The SAVE (Safe and Alternative VVER European) project for VVER-440 fuel is led by French company Framatome and includes 17 participants, including European operators of VVER reactors. These include companies such as ČEZ, Finland’s Fortum, Hungary’s MVM Paks and Slovenské elektrárne. The project aims to strengthen energy security and reduce the risk of disruptions to nuclear fuel supplies for Russian-designed VVER-440 reactors.

Nineteen VVER reactors, developed during the Soviet era, are currently in operation in the EU. Russian company TVEL has long been the fuel supplier for VVER reactors. These operating European reactors include four VVER-1000 reactors in Bulgaria (Kozloduy) and the Czech Republic (Temelín), and fifteen VVER-440 reactors in the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary and Slovakia.

Supporting EU autonomy and security of supply

Lionel Gaiffe, executive vice president of the fuel division at Framatome, said: “Framatome welcomes this EU funding, which recognises our efforts and supports the acceleration of our development, helping to diversify and secure fuel supplies for VVER reactors. Framatome is the only fuel supplier able to guarantee 100% sovereign European technology, with fully European design and product, manufacturing facilities, and an operational supply chain for fuel components located in the EU.”

“Research and innovation are essential to the EU’s strategic autonomy. Nuclear fuel is a case in point. The Euratom Research and Training Programme provides crucial support to our industry as it seeks a reliable alternative fuel for reactors in EU member states and Ukraine that have so far needed Russian fuel to operate,” said Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

The new SAVE project builds on the Accelerated Program for Implementation of Secure VVER Fuel Supply (APIS), led by Westinghouse and launched in July 2023. Its goal is to develop a secure fuel design for VVER-440 reactors and a next-generation fuel design for VVER-1000 reactors. Many VVER reactors in the EU and Ukraine are switching from Russian nuclear fuel to fuel from US-Canadian company Westinghouse to diversify supplies.