PHWR Fuel Experience in India

Abstract

Production of 19-element zircaloy clad natural uranium oxide fuel bundles for Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) of 220 MWe type in India is being carried out at Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) at Hyderabad since June, 1973. During the last 26 years, more than 1,75,000 fuel bundles have been fabricated and supplied by NFC to Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) for use in PHWR 220 units. In the financial year 1998-99 (April 1998 - March 1999), NFC produced 20,157 fuel bundles (306 tons), which is the highest annual production since the inception of NFC. For the year 1999-2000, a production target of 23,500 fuel bundles (around 350 tons) has been set, of which nearly 175 tons have been fabricated till the middle of September 1999. In the last few years, at NFC, efforts are being made to augment safety, fuel quality, automation and productivity. The in- pile performance of PHWR fuel produced in NFC has improved progressively over the years. By the end of the year 2000, twelve PHWR 220 MWe would be operational in India for which the fuel and the zircaloy structurals would continue to be fabricated at NFC. In parallel, a new project has been initiated for fabrication of 37-element zircaloy 4 clad natural uranium oxide fuel bundles for the forthcoming twin units of PHWR 500 MWe at Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS - 3 & 4).