Kazakhstani fuel assemblies for nuclear power plants exported only to China

The Ulba Metallurgical Plant (UMP) in Ust-Kamenogorsk reported that all fuel assemblies (FA) they produce that power nuclear power plants are exported only to China, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

UMP products are supplied in the form of fuel assemblies to the stations with the participation of the Chinese company CGN. Five deliveries have already been made in 2022-2023 - a total of about 150 tons of products in terms of low-enriched uranium.

“Two batches of FA have already been loaded into the reactors of Chinese nuclear power plants. These are the Yangtze and Fangchenggang stations in southern China,” explained the plant representatives.

It should be noted that the number of deliveries is gradually increasing. As of the end of July 2024, a total of 8 deliveries of fuel assemblies were made. In terms of low-enriched uranium, this is 240 tons.

Fuel production is carried out by LLP "Ulba-TVS", a joint Kazakhstani-Chinese enterprise. 51% of the shares belong to the Ulba Metallurgical Plant, a subsidiary of the national atomic company Kazatomprom. The second participant is the Chinese company CGNPC-URC, which owns 49% of the shares.

A Kazinform News Agency correspondent visited the UMP and monitored the entire production process, and also learned about the conditions in which Kazakhstani nuclear scientists work and what technologies they use. The answers to these questions will soon be on Kazinform News Agency.