Indian Programme for PHWR Fuel Production

Abstract

Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), Department of Atomic Energy, Hyderabad, manufactures fuel for Boiling Water and Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors and Zircaloy fuel cladding, Zircaloy calandria and Coolant tubes; and Zircaloy rods, wires, sheets etc. Established in 1973, NFC meets the fuel requirements of all power reactors in operation. Expansion plans had been drawn up to augment the production facilities and also to get-up new Fuel Fabrication Plants to meet the requirements of power reactors under construction and those at planning stage. The fuel requirements by the turn of the century are estimated at around 1800 tonnes/year. The manufacturing aspects of PHWR fuel and the expansion programme on hand to meet the fuel requirements of power reactor is covered in this presentation.