Framatome: Nuclear energy even more important through the challenges of the global pandemic
When we turned the calendar to 2020, we thought we knew the challenges ahead of us. We were planning for one of the biggest production years in our site’s 50-year history and introducing several new technologies to the market.
What unfolded in mid-March was something none of us could have anticipated. The coronavirus pandemic changed every aspect of our lives, both personally and professionally. With tremendous resilience, we persevered and provided the products and solutions needed for continuous, low carbon nuclear power production.
As an essential business in the energy sector, we had to continue to operate to deliver for our customers and the industry. Like other businesses, we altered the way we work to ensure the safety of our employees and our customers. We modified shifts, allowed as many employees as possible to work from home and increased our sanitation efforts – all while implementing the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and guidance from local health officials.
I know we were not alone in this battle as everyone had to rethink their operations. To succeed has taken a great effort from everyone – both in and out of our industry. The perseverance and resilience of our workforce and our industry partners has been amazing.
Looking back at 2020
We did not lose a single day of operations in 2020 because of the pandemic and had 100% on-time deliveries – accomplishments that are noteworthy during a normal year. We also continued to advance the nuclear energy industry, introducing our most advanced fuel and fuel-related products.
ATRIUM 11 – our latest boiling water reactor fuel design – continued to make its imprint in the industry as we delivered shipments to two customers and have contracts in place to deliver to two more customers in the next two years. We also completed our first delivery of GAIA – our most advanced pressurized water reactor fuel design – to a U.S. reactor. These fuel designs are the result of more than 10 years of development by our global team of experts, and provide nuclear plant operators several improvements over the previous generations of design.
We recently commissioned our new $20 million uranium recovery facility. This new, 11,000-square-foot facility houses advanced processes and technologies that recover uranium from the fuel-manufacturing process. This facility not only improves operator safety, but also further demonstrates our commitment to the environment by reducing the amount of waste on our site.
This past year we have also introduced additive manufacturing – 3D printed – components into our operations. This spring, in partnership with Tennessee Valley Authority and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the first 3FD printed component will be inserted into a nuclear reactor.
What’s ahead
It has now been 10 years since the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan when three of the six reactors sustained severe damage to the core, releasing hydrogen and radioactive materials. This event has posed challenges for the industry, but at the same time invigorated change to the industry. Through programs like the U.S. Department of Energy’s accident tolerant fuel program, Framatome has continued to pursue fuel designs and technologies that would allow nuclear reactors to operate even more safely and efficiently.
In 2020, our PROtect enhanced accident tolerant fuel (EATF) program reached two milestones that have validated our technology and the fuel performance in a reactor. We recently received positive results after our first fuel design with EATF technologies completed its first of three 18-month cycles of operation. We also manufactured the first fuel assembly with 100% accident tolerant fuel rods at our Richland site. This assembly will go into a nuclear reactor core this spring.
These are necessary steps to provide technologies on a larger scale in the years to come. Our commitment to new and advanced technologies comes at an encouraging time for the industry. We recognize nuclear power is a solution to climate change, and we are seeing increasing support from the administration as additional funding has been allocated for research and development in our industry.
If this past year shows us anything, it is the resolve of our people to overcome challenges and adapt to change. That is what has made us a leader in the industry and a proud business in the Tri-Cities for more than 50 years. Thank you to our workforce and the community for helping us navigate and succeed this past year.
This story was originally published April 30, 2021 at 12:20 AM with the headline "Framatome: Nuclear energy even more important through the challenges of the global pandemic."