Skoda JS Begins Testing of Fuel Assembly Module for Temelin Nuclear Plant

Skoda JS (Plzen, Czech Republic), a part of OMZ (Uralmash-Izhora Group) announces that it has begun a series of comparative hydraulic tests of a fuel assembly module for the Temelin Nuclear Power Plant, Czech Republic.

The tests will be conducted over the next several months. Their objective is to check the compatibility of fuel assemblies by Westinghouse, a US company supplying fuel to Temelin NPP, with those supplied by TVEL, a Russian company which will supply fuel for the new high-impact fuel assemblies at Temelin NPP.

Skoda JS has specialized equipment – a hydraulic loop – which was used in 1993-1994 to test a fuel assembly produced by Westinghouse for the Temelin NPP. This will allow the company to compare results of hydraulic tests of both fuel assemblies.

The next stage of testing will be on-site at the Temelin NPP. This will include procedures to test the control rod drive, the system which regulates the capacity of a VVER reactor. Control rod drives are produced and supplied by Skoda JS for the Temelin NPP and other plants using VVER type reactors.