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Nuclearelectrica, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) sign MoU on nuclear fuel co-operation.
S.N. Nuclearelectrica (SNN) and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) on June 28, 2023 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the field of nuclear fuel, told Agerpres.
According to a Nuclearelectrica press statement, the MoU is part of both parties' strategy to further develop fuel processing and ensure the resilience of fuel production capabilities, for the long-term operation of current nuclear power plants and new energy production facilities derived from their investment projects.
Since December 2022, Nuclearelectrica has owned the entire processing flow of the technical uranium concentrate to obtain sinterable UO2 powder. Nuclearelectrica's branch at Feldioara (Feldioara Uranium Concentrate Processing Factory) is currently operating at the nominal parameters. Nuclearelectrica has planned to refurbish and modernise its production line, with the objective to expand its business in the field of nuclear fuel management and services.
The MoU records the intention of the parties to collaborate for studying, planning and development of activities for technical uranium concentrates processing, with the purpose of potentially qualifying SNN as a potential supplier of sinterable UO2 powder by KHNP, and the exploration of possibilities for collaboration in the area of nuclear fuel bundle fabrication.
KHNP is a major player in the world of the CANDU nuclear fuel cycle, the owner and operator of the CANDU reactors in Korea, has technological knowledge and experience in the production of advanced Candu 6 (37M) fuel bundles and is interested in diversifying its sources of uranium dioxide powder with natural isotopic composition for its needs.
Nuclearelectrica SA is the national Romanian company which produces electricity, heat and nuclear fuel operating under the authority of the Romanian Ministry of Energy, with the Romanian state holding 82.49% of shares and other shareholders holding 17.50%, after floating the company on the stock exchange in 2013.
The CNE Cernavoda branch operates two CANDU nuclear units, which are two of the most high-performance units among the more than 400 nuclear plants in the world, a nuclear fuel factory and is in the process of carrying out an integrated fuel cycle through the procurement of a uranium concentrate processing line, in order to support the long-term investment projects of the company.
Nuclearelectrica has a major role at national level, contributing more than 18% of the nuclear energy to the total energy production and 33% to the total CO2-free energy production in Romania.
