Ulba-FA

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2022: Kazakhstan delivered the first batch of nuclear fuel to China

Kazakhstan delivered the first batch of nuclear fuel to China. This was reported on December 7, 2022 in the national nuclear company of Kazakhstan "Kazatomprom."

The first batch of fresh nuclear fuel, fuel assemblies of AFA 3G TM design, was delivered from the Ulba-TVS LLP plant (a joint Kazakh-Chinese enterprise) to China, Kazatompromam said in a statement.

The first batch of nuclear fuel was delivered to China

Railway platforms with 34 transport and packaging containers, in which FAs are located in the volume of one reboot (a little more than 30 tons of low-enriched uranium), accompanied by specialized security, were delivered to nuclear power plants in China and accepted by the end consumer - the Chinese nuclear corporation CGNPC-URC.

The production of fuel assemblies uses uranium raw materials mined in Kazakhstan, processed at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant.

The Ulba-TVSm LLP plant was launched in November 2021 after being certified by the owner of the AFA 3G design fuel assembly technology of the French company Framatome and receiving recognition as a certified nuclear fuel supplier from the end consumer of the product - the Chinese nuclear corporation CGNPC-URC. This is the only production of nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants in Kazakhstan and has a guaranteed sales market for 20 years to come. The capacity of the plant is 200 tons per year in terms of low-enriched uranium.

The launch of Kazatomprom production allowed Kazakhstan to enter a limited circle of countries-producers and suppliers of nuclear fuel for nuclear power plants, opening up new opportunities for the development of the nuclear industry of Kazakhstan and prospects for cooperation in this direction with other countries.^[1]

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