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First Westinghouse nuclear fuel delivered to Dukovany

Tuesday, 17 June 2025

The first Westinghouse nuclear fuel assemblies have arrived at the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant, as the Czech Republic continues to diversify its supplies.

First Westinghouse nuclear fuel delivered to Dukovany — (Image: CEZ)

Daniel Beneš, Chairman and CEO of CEZ, said: "This is a step that significantly increases the energy security of the Czech Republic." He added that "in addition to diversifying nuclear fuel suppliers, we also hold strategic reserves in both of our nuclear power plants".

CEZ signed a contract in 2022 for the supply of fuel assemblies for the Temelín nuclear power plant with Westinghouse - which includes the Robust Westinghouse Fuel Assembly design - and with Framatome, and the following year signed a contract with Westinghouse for Dukovany and has now received its first VVER-440 fuel reload of its NOVA E-6 design.

Eighty of the newly delivered cartridges are currently being accepted - the fuel has to meet strict safety requirements and get approval from the national regulator before being loaded in the reactor. The new fuel will also meet the requirements for running longer fuel campaigns of 16 months at Dukovany and 18 months at Temelín.

Tarik Choho, President of Westinghouse's Nuclear Fuel Division, said: "Westinghouse supplied VVER-1000 fuel to both Temelín units from 2000 to 2010. As the largest supplier of VVER fuel in Europe, we have continued to invest in advanced fuel designs to support energy security in the region. These fuel deliveries are a testament to our shared commitment to safety, reliability, and supply diversification for VVER reactors. Both types of newly delivered VVER fuel, manufactured in Västerås, Sweden, are fully compatible with other manufacturers' assemblies and offer increased fuel efficiency and extended fuel cycles."

The Czech Republic currently gets about one-third of its electricity from two VVER-1000 units in operation at Temelín, which came into operation in 2000 and 2002, and four VVER-440 units at Dukovany, which began operating between 1985 and 1987.

The diversification of nuclear fuel suppliers - and increases in fuel reserves - is seen as increasing energy security among European Union countries previously using Russia's TVEL for fuel for their VVER reactors which were designed in the Soviet Union era.