Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant was issued a permit to store RWFA-type nuclear fuel

The Nuclear Regulation Agency (NRA) has issued Kozloduy NPP with a permit to store fresh RWFA-type nuclear fuel produced by Westinghouse, the agency said on January 24. The permit is valid only for the receipt and storage of fuel assemblies, it said. The use of US uranium will be possible only after the licensing is completed.

Russian fuel for Unit 5 runs out in May. The fuel supplied by the Westinghouse company must be approved by then and the procedure is now underway. In the meantime, the supply of Russian fuel for unit six continues so that the plant will have enough fresh fuel until 2033. It can easily be used if needed in unit five. However, if the nuclear power plant puts off using it, it will have to wait four years before using fuel from another source.

The first deliveries of U.S. RWFA fuel are expected in early April. The NRC aims to license the fuel by then, but not at the expense of safety, the department said late last year.