In July 2017, Framatome announced that GAIA lead fuel assemblies (LFAs) would be delivered to Southern Nuclear Company’s Vogtle Unit 2 in the winter of 2019. This was a historic announcement for Framatome – the first PROtect enhanced accident tolerant fuel (EATF) program contract signed with a U.S. utility. The announcement brought excitement and the opportunity to revolutionize the nuclear fuel industry.
The two main drivers of materials development in the nuclear fuel domain are safety and fuel cycle cost, says Alain Frichet, vice president of Fuel Products and Technologies at Framatome.
Experts in the nuclear energy industry are making significant advancements in fuel technologies that will help today’s and tomorrow’s fleets of nuclear reactors operate efficiently, reliably and safely.
I have worked at Framatome for more than 27 years in a variety of different roles and locations. In that time, I have worked on projects ranging from reactor core design and safety analyses to project management. However, my current project is shaping up to be one of the most memorable in my career.
Framatome recently signed a contract to deliver two full fuel assemblies using the company’s industry-leading Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel (EATF) solution to Exelon Generation’s Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in February 2021.