Framatome and NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE: SMR) have expanded their longstanding partnership to include Framatome's European facilities for fuel fabrication in Europe, while also notifying the Richland facility to fabricate for NuScale Power's U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-approved SMR fuel technology in the next five years. This expansion leverages Framatome's global presence to support NuScale in meeting global U.S. and European demands and builds upon their exclusive fuel manufacturing contract signed in 2015.
Framatome's European facilities will be leveraged for the future fabrication of fuel assemblies for NuScale's European SMR customers. The NuScale Power Module™ (NPM) is a Generation III+ reactor and uses a fuel design that is based on existing Framatome pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel technology with decades of proven, reliable, and safe operation.
Following its earlier selection to fabricate fuel assemblies for NuScale's U.S. SMR customers in 2015, Framatome has now been issued notice to qualify the Richland, Washington facility for manufacturing and delivery of the NuFUEL-HTP2 fuel design. In addition to supporting manufacturing readiness, the notice includes direction to produce at least 444 fuel assemblies for NuScale's first U.S. customer as early as 2030, reflecting growing momentum for the nuclear energy industry and rising demand for baseload electricity.
“By leveraging our proven expertise and advanced American and European manufacturing facilities, we are ensuring reliable, high-quality fuel delivery for NuScale's customers worldwide,” said Lionel Gaiffe, Senior Executive Vice President, Fuel Business Unit at Framatome. “This milestone reflects our shared vision for a sustainable energy future and reinforces Framatome's role as a trusted partner in advancing next-generation nuclear solutions.”
“NuScale is proud to continue our decade-long relationship with our partners at Framatome to supply fuel for our global customers,” said Carl Fisher, Chief Operating Officer at NuScale Power. “This newest agreement will allow us to continue to meet our critical supply chain and manufacturing milestones to fulfill project timelines and prepare to deploy our groundbreaking technology.”
NuFUEL-HTP2 utilizes Framatome's proven HTP fuel and spacer grid technology. This fuel design combines low pressure drop with robust mechanical strength and seismic resilience to assure reliable fuel performance in this new reactor type. Over 20,000 HTP fuel assemblies have been delivered to a wide range of PWRs in 11 countries.
Framatome's North America and European facilities have respectively more than 55 and 50 years of manufacturing and fuel expertise. The state-of-the-art facilities are positioned respectively in North America and Europe to deliver the next generation of light water reactor fuel as well as fuel for the next generation of reactors.
Richland facility was awarded the industry's first 40-year nuclear fuel fabrication license renewal from the NRC in 2009 and plans to modify its license to deliver fuel above 5% of U235 as part of its Advanced Fuel Management program.
