Framatome

January 14, 2021 – Framatome and Rusatom Automated Control Systems JSC (RASU JSC), a subsidiary of Rosatom State Corporation, signed a contract to provide technical support in design and integration of the instrumentation and control (I&C) system for the Hanhikivi-1 Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Finland. Under the terms of the contract, Framatome will provide […]

Wrapping up an eventful year for advanced nuclear, the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Nuclear Energy announced $20 million in awards for the third of three pathways under its Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP).  The ARDP program, which the DOE officially launched on May 14, will leverage Congressionally appropriated funding to enable actual construction of […]

December 7, 2020 – Framatome signed a sale purchase agreement with Rolls-Royce to acquire its Civil Nuclear Instrumentation and Control (I&C) business, which has operations principally in France, and to a lesser extent China. The transaction is expected to close at the beginning of the second half of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions including […]

November 17, 2020 – Framatome today announced that it joined the Sizewell C Consortium, a group of more than 100 companies and organisations from across the U.K. working to design, supply and construct the proposed nuclear power station in Suffolk, England. “Working with the passionate and expert members of the Sizewell C Consortium, we are […]

November 16, 2020 – Framatome recently announced that it ramped up production of replacement component parts at its manufacturing plant located at Le Creusot, France. On October 28, forging operations began on the first shell that will be used for the fabrication of replacement steam generators for the French nuclear fleet. Before beginning production, Framatome […]

The Department of Energy (DOE) on Oct. 7 notified Congress that it has chosen recipients for its Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) and will make its selections public “next week.” The ARDP program, which the DOE officially launched on May 14, will essentially focus DOE and non-federal resources (through cost-shared agreements with industry) to enable […]

September 22, 2020 – Framatome recently partnered with the EDF Group, French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and six additional organizations from academia and the French nuclear sector to pool research and development (R&D) related to nuclear reactor digital twins. As part of this four-year, digital reactor structuring project (le Projet Structurant Pour […]

September 3, 2020 – Framatome signed an exclusive partnership agreement with ADAGOS to bring advanced, parsimonious artificial intelligence technology to the nuclear energy industry. ADAGOS’ NeurEco architecture introduces a third-generation neural network to solve large and complex problems using fewer computational and data resources compared to previous generations. “Artificial intelligence is a game changer for […]

August 25, 2020 – Framatome signed a contract with Hinkley Point C to supply conventional field instrumentation for the two U.K. EPRs under construction at the nuclear power station located in Somerset, England. Approximately 10,000 instruments will monitor and measure temperature, flow, pressure and level under all operating conditions. “With this contract, we are expanding […]

July 23, 2020 – Framatome and Lockheed Martin recently signed a teaming agreement that will integrate Lockheed Martin’s Discrete Logic Solving System (DLSS) into proven Framatome instrumentation and control (I&C) nuclear plant modernization solutions. This additional analog solution combines the companies’ technologies and supports the safety and reliability of nuclear power plants. The I&C system […]

July 20, 2020 – Framatome delivered its first nuclear fuel reload to the largest power producer in the U.S. The 100 fuel assemblies were manufactured at Framatome’s fuel fabrication facility in Richland, Washington, and inserted into the reactor at the nuclear energy facility as part of the spring refueling outage completed in May. Framatome delivered […]

Russian state atomic energy corporation Rosatom is working with Paris-based Framatome and GE Steam Power, which is headquartered in the U.S., to secure contracts to construct the Belene nuclear power plant in northern Bulgaria near the Danube River, which forms the country’s border with Romania. An On-Again Off-Again History The Belene project has a long […]

Nine projects will get $27 million in federal funding to develop digital twin technology for promising advanced nuclear reactor designs—including Kairos, Xe-100, BWRX-300, and the SSR-W—and help achieve a ten-fold reduction in their operations and maintenance (O&M) costs. The funding announced by the Department of Energy (DOE) on May 13 will be furnished under the […]

May 4, 2020 – Framatome and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) recently began the commercial development of uranium-molybdenum fuel (UMo) for nuclear research reactors. Framatome and TUM will design and install the fuel manufacturing production line, and develop, produce and irradiate new fuel prototypes. The project will take place at the CERCA Research and Innovation […]

Earlier this year, nuclear technology giant Framatome and power sector lifecycle management service company Kinectrics launched an Ontario-based joint venture, Isogen, whose mission is to enable the use of

Several industry-led developments and a possible new advanced nuclear demonstration have been announced since the White House working group laid out a national strategy to revive the nuclear industry last week. Centrus Energy on April 28 signed a letter of intent with Advanced Reactor Concepts (ARC), developer of a 100-MWe sodium-cooled fast-reactor design, that potentially […]

April 14, 2020 — Framatome signed a long-term service contract with the Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company Limited (TNPJVC) to support operations of two EPRs at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in China. This contract covers nuclear plant outage and maintenance work, including spare parts supply and engineering services for eight years. “This contract […]

April 8, 2020 – Framatome was awarded a contract to deliver the reactor protection system for units 1 and 2 at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant II in Russia. The contract includes planning, designing, manufacturing and implementing the system. This contract builds on the 2018 memorandum of understanding Framatome signed with Rusatom Automated Control Systems (RASU), a […]

Though much attention has been focused on the exciting realm of nuclear reactor technology innovation, major efforts to improve nuclear fuels—and boost power generation safety and economics—are underway

Feb. 19, 2020 – Framatome signed a series of service contracts with Finnish utility TVO for the long-term operation of the Olkiluoto 3 EPR. These contracts cover nuclear plant outage and maintenance scopes, including engineering, I&C and non-destructive testing services over an extended period of time. “These contracts mark an important step as we work […]

The past week saw interesting developments worldwide for nuclear new builds, small modular reactors (SMRs), and advanced nuclear fuel. Highlighted here: A third U.S. utility will use Framatome’s ATRIUM 11 fuel design; Barakah 1 in the United Arab Emirates is on the cusp of startup; South Africa’s Eskom said it wants to dispose of PBMR […]

Global Nuclear Fuel (GNF), a GE-led joint venture with Hitachi Ltd. that supplies boiling water reactor fuel and fuel-related services around the world, said lead test assemblies utilizing its ARMOR-coated zirconium cladding and IronClad Accident Tolerant Fuel solutions have been installed at Exelon’s Clinton nuclear plant in Illinois. “We continue to work with our customers […]

Innovation is ushering in a new age for nuclear power. As well as boosting plant economics, efficiency, and flexibility, advanced technologies could open up new markets to meet soaring demand for heat and

Unit 1 at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in China is the site of a milestone for nuclear technology. It also illustrates cooperation between France and China, using the lessons learned from earlier projects

Russia has completed the first phase of nuclear accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) reactor testing at a government research facility. The achievement paves the way for ATF testing at a Russian commercial nuclear plant, which could begin in 2020. TVEL Fuel Co. of Rosatom, a company that provides nuclear fuel to 72 reactors in 14 countries, including […]

Oct. 28, 2019 – Framatome opened the new SPEC 200 manufacturing facility at its Operational Center of Excellence in Lynchburg, Virginia, completing the move of the factory from China to the U.S. The ribbon-cutting took place in September, marking the full integration of the SPEC 200 product line into Framatome’s solutions portfolio. Framatome acquired the […]

CONCERN TITAN-2 JSC, contractor for building and supply of equipment for Hanhikivi-1 NPP construction, has signed today a contract with Framatome-Siemens, the French-German consortium, to supply Main Instrumentation and Control (I&C). The signature followed a competitive procedure with the participation of international companies that are market leaders in the field of integrated I&C solutions at […]

Framatome successfully completed the first of 12 low-pressure feedwater heater replacements at Arizona Public Service’s Palo Verde Generating Station Unit 1 on an expedited schedule during the spring 2019 outage. The remaining replacements will take place over a more than seven-year campaign. “It is rewarding to bring our latest technologies and expertise to support Palo […]

Exelon’s Byron Unit 2 nuclear power plant has completed installation of EnCore Fuel, Westinghouse Electric Co.’s accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) solution, marking the start of the first test of uranium silicide fuel pellets in a commercial nuclear reactor.  The installation, completed during the plant’s scheduled 18-day spring refueling outage this April, but publicly announced on Sept. […]

The world’s nuclear sector is struggling to stay economically afloat amid a deluge of renewables and natural gas power, and reinvigorating it will require operational flexibility from new or existing