NuScale Power Announces Fuel Manufacturing Contract

NuScale Power LLC is pleased to announce that AREVA Inc. has signed a contract to manufacture fuel assemblies for its small modular reactor (SMR) technology. Under this agreement, AREVA will supply the initial cores for the reactors as well as subsequent reloads.

AREVA’s HTPTM advanced pressurized water reactor fuel has been designed for use in the SMRs currently under development. Mechanical and thermal hydraulic testing of these new fuel assemblies are underway as part of NuScale’s design certification application, which is planned for submission to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in late 2016.

“AREVA continues to provide critical support to NuScale as we bring our groundbreaking small modular reactor design to the market,” said Dale Atkinson, NuScale’s chief operating officer and chief nuclear officer. “As a result of this latest agreement, NuScale will be offering our customers nuclear fuel fabricated by AREVA, a firm with a strong reputation of excellence in fuel fabrication.”

“At AREVA, our customers’ needs are the fundamental driver for innovation,” said Ron Land, senior vice president of AREVA’s Fuel business line, U.S. region. “We are proud to utilize the expertise of our teams and their decades of experience and focus on operational excellence to support NuScale in its work in the development of new nuclear technology.”

NuScale Power recently hosted over 230 attendees, including representatives from AREVA, at its NuScale Exposition (also known as NuEx) in Corvallis, Oregon. A notable list of speakers emphasized the important environmental and economic benefits of NuScale’s baseload, carbon-free SMR technology. NuEx attendees were also provided with a rare look into NuScale’s test facilities. A full-scale replica of a NuScale SMR nuclear fuel assembly was on display at the event.