Global Nuclear Fuel Accident Tolerant Fuel Assemblies Installed in U.S. Plant

Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF) today announced that lead test assemblies utilizing its ARMOR-coated zirconium cladding and IronClad Accident Tolerant Fuel solutions have been installed at Exelon Generation’s Clinton Power Station in Clinton, Illinois. The assemblies were developed as part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) accident tolerant fuel program and manufactured at GNF’s state-of-the-art facility in Wilmington, North Carolina.

The lead test assemblies containing three varieties of GNF’s IronClad solution are the first fueled ferritic steel-based cladding assemblies to be installed in a commercial reactor.

"We continue to work with our customers and partners to develop fuel solutions to lead the industry into the future," said Jay Wileman, President & CEO, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. "With support from the industry and the Department of Energy, we are advancing this fuel technology at an aggressive pace."   

IronClad solutions are designed to provide substantial oxidation resistance and superior material behavior over a range of conditions compared to prior solutions. The low oxidation rates of this material at higher temperatures further improves safety limit margins. GE Research supported the development of one of the IronClad solution varieties that were installed at Clinton by providing engineering support and fabricating components that went into making the fuel rods. 

GNF’s ARMOR coated zirconium cladding provides enhanced protection of fuel rods against debris fretting. ARMOR also provides oxidation resistance and superior material behavior over a range of conditions making it an attractive technology to improve safety limit margins and abrasion resistance.

In 2018, unfueled IronClad lead test rods and fueled ARMOR-coated zirconium cladding lead test rods were installed at Georgia Power’s Plant Hatch.