Russian nuclear scientists defeated the statement of the Ukrainian minister about the “production of their own nuclear fuel”

Ukrainian Minister of Energy Herman Galushchenko announced plans to start production of his own nuclear fuel. Within the framework of cooperation with the American company Westinghouse, Ukraine has already begun production of components for VVER-1000 fuel blocks, and will subsequently begin production of fuel for VVER-440 blocks. We asked nuclear energy specialist Alexander Uvarov and nuclear physicist Andrey Ozharovsky to comment on this message.

“Let’s immediately separate the “flies” from the “cutlets,” says Alexander Uvarov. – In the manufacture of nuclear fuel, a nuclear component is used, these are uranium pellets. And also – structural elements, for example, the head of the cassette, the shank of the cassette, where there are no nuclear materials. The production of these components by the American company Westinghouse has long been given to third-party contractors from third countries. So Ukraine has now announced that it has begun to do this. There is nothing unusual here. Of course, this is not the production of fuel, this is the production of certain components that will then be involved in the assembly.

Atomic physicist Andrei Ozharovsky agrees with his colleague.

– Most likely, we are talking about elements of fuel assemblies, load-bearing structures, springs, spaced grids. Everything that is not related to nuclear pills, Ukraine can produce right now. With metalworking, they are all right, it is enough to master the work with zirconium alloys.

Energy Minister of Ukraine Herman Galushchenko, in turn, said that their company will produce fuel assemblies of nuclear reactors of nuclear power plants. In 2023, they plan to enter the commercial production of shanks, and a year later – the industrial production of heads for fuel cartridges.

“The Ukrainian side says that in the future they will have a greater contribution to the production of fuel,” says Alexander Uvarov. – This is unrealistic for two reasons: they will not be given work with nuclear materials. Because they do not have the opportunity and the appropriate capacity to enrich uranium. This is quite a difficult job.

Theoretically, they could have been given the final assembly of the cassette. It’s like assembling a car from parts. Parts are brought in, everything is inserted into the grooves on the conveyor and screwed. Such an assembly could theoretically be given to them.

At one time, even Russia offered a similar option for Ukraine. This was before 2014, before the Maidan and the coup d’état in Ukraine. But I don’t think Westinghouse will go for it, because the more the company gives away, the less its income.

Why would the Americans give their assembly to Ukraine if they can sell them ready-made cassettes in the assembly? So there can be no talk of any production of nuclear fuel. This is either the production of non-nuclear components, or, at best, with great luck, a screwdriver assembly.

Why did Ukraine need to make such a loud statement now?

“This is, first of all, a propaganda move,” says Alexander Uvarov. – So that the local population is less worried about what will happen in the future if Russia does not supply them with nuclear fuel. That their nuclear power plants, which now make the maximum contribution to electricity generation, will continue their work.

— Did most of the reactors at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant run on American fuel?

— Yes, four power units out of six, if I’m not mistaken. (Even the threat of accidents did not stop the Ukrainian authorities due to the incompatibility of fuel assemblies from the United States with Soviet reactors). It was they who actively transferred the Zaporizhzhya NPP to American nuclear fuel. Because there is a site for a dry storage facility for spent nuclear fuel (ISSF).

The Americans, unlike us, do not take nuclear fuel to themselves after working off. We can take it for processing at Mayak, but the Americans cannot, they don’t have such an opportunity. Therefore, they say that these are your problems, you are the customer, you bought it, and then, when the fuel has worked out, deal with its storage yourself.

— Zaporozhye NPP in October 2022 became the federal property of Russia along with the territory of the region. In your opinion, will they exchange American fuel for the usual Russian fuel elements?

– The ultimate option is to simply unload everything from there and load our fuel. It’s expensive, because you have to re-make the active zone. It would be cheaper to give the opportunity to work out the existing nuclear fuel.

But in this case, problems may arise. Because this fuel, as they say, is under the American flag, and the United States does not recognize that the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant is now Russian. It will be easier to go the expensive way.

But at the moment, the station is not particularly needed yet. There are no consumers in our territory for her. We are quite energetic. But we must look to the future, when the giant plants in Mariupol will be launched. In the meantime, the power units at the Zaporozhye NPP are shut down.