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.
I’ve been in the nuclear industry long enough to know that introducing new products or features to the market takes patience. So maybe that’s why, when we have a chance to share some news with our customers and the industry, we get a little excited.
The first accident tolerant fuel assemblies containing both modified cladding and pellets have been loaded into until 2 of the Vogtle nuclear plant in Georgia, Southern Nuclear and Framatome announced 5 April.
Framatome delivered the industry’s first full-length Enhanced Accident Tolerant Fuel (EATF) concept containing both pellets and claddings to Georgia Power’s Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant. Southern Nuclear, operator of Plant Vogtle, inserted the GAIA lead fuel assemblies containing EATF during the Unit 2 spring refueling outage. Framatome delivered the fuel to the plant in January 2019.